Unsealed Fate
by Phantom Rosabelle
Summary: Sequel to 'Twist of Fate.' Read that first, or you won't know who half the people are. Andros/Ashley, Karone/Zhane. The rangers reunite for another mission, but something isn't right.
1. Only A Dream

Disclaimer: Not mine

Chapter 1: Only A Dream

_As the last shovelful of dirt was tossed onto the grave of his daughter, he fell to his knees, his face in his hands. Beside her grave, was the one of her twin brother. "Zoe," he cried out. "Wyatt!" Too numb for tears, he remembered the happy, bright-eyed children that had reminded him so much of their mother._

_"Ashley," he whispered, his gaze shifting to the grave of his beloved wife, dead seven long, lonely years. He staggered to his feet, collapsing again at the foot of her headstone, leaning his head against the cold, hard slab. Then the tears came, cascading down his face in a salty river, and he sat there, unmoving, for several hours, sobbing for all that he'd lost. His forehead still resting against Ashley's grave marker, he choked the words out. "I love you so much. I'm so sorry I didn't save you. I'm so sorry I didn't save them."_

_Had he not been a coward, he could have ended his life right then and there, but a small voice somewhere deep inside of him told him that Ashley would never forgive him. Her judgement he feared more than any god or hell that he might face. The same small voice screamed at him that this was his punishment for failing to protect those that he loved. He would be forced to live without them, always haunted by their memories, his heart always aching for them, until his life was over at last. _

_"I'm sorry."_

_His head snapped up as he recognized the voice that he hadn't heard in seven years. "You?"_

_She fell to her knees beside him, tears staining her cheeks as well, and spoke only two words, a reference to a statement made long ago, a question that even in his dazed and numb state he understood._

_"Still anything?"_

_He took one look at the three graves surrounding him. The graves of the three people that he loved the most in the world. _

_"Anything that I have left to give."_

Andros shot up from his sleep, terrified for a moment that it had been much more than a nightmare, that he would wake up and find himself alone. Then he heard Ashley's soft breathing in the bed next to him, and he lay down again, pulling her close, and burying his face in her soft hair. She was still here. No one was going to take her from him.

Ashley stirred. "Andros?"

"Go back to sleep," he whispered hoarsely. "I'm sorry I woke you up."

"What's wrong?" Ashley asked sleepily, rolling over. Even in the dark, Andros could see the concern in her dark eyes.

"Nothing," he muttered, beginning to feel ashamed of himself. "Just a nightmare."

"What's wrong?" Ashley brushed his hair out of his eyes to look at him.

"Zoe and Wyatt were dead," he whispered. "So were you. You'd been dead for seven years, and then they died too, and I was alone. And then - and then... I saw someone... who I knew... anything... "

"Andros," Ashley whispered, taking his hand. "It was only a dream. I'm right here, and I'm never leaving you, I promise. I'm stuck with you forever, remember?"

Andros managed a laugh, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong. Without another word, Ashley wrapped her arms around him. His arms went around her, and he held her close, listening to her breathing grown steady and even. As she fell back asleep, Andros loosened his hold on her, and slipped out of bed to go check on his children.

The twins were nearly five months old now, and slept through the night most of the time. Wyatt was curled up in his crib, but Zoe was wide awake, her hazel eyes gleaming up at him. Andros picked up his baby daughter gently, as if she was the most fragile thing in the world. He rocked her back to sleep before kissing both his children. He tried to lie down quietly, but Ashley woke up again.

"Sorry," he whispered, kissing his wife gently. "I'll go to sleep now."

"Andros," she muttered, opening one sleepy eye. "If I didn't love you, you'd be dead right now."

She was joking, but Andros didn't laugh.

"I love you, Ashley," he breathed into her ear before drifting off into a blissfully dreamless sleep.


	2. The Only Ones Standing in the Way

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** Ha ha, you can't kill me if I don't update soon, or else you have to write Chapter 2. :P_

_**Juzblue: **Aren't those awesome names? I'll update soon, I promise _: )

_**Jenny:** I swear, in my next story, there won't be twins. At least not boy-girl twins, which is what we've all done. Is it only a dream? Hmm... You're good at guessing. Read the next few chapters carefully. Then have fun guessing who's going to die. :P _

_**Princess Emmie:** It'll keep getting scarier too. Once Andros realizes that he has a heart, the only thing he's really afraid of is losing the people that he loves. _

_**Arwennicole:** But was it only a nightmare? _: ) _Yay, your story keeps going for awhile!_

_**Melissa:** It's fun taunting people, isn't it:P Don't worry, I'll update soon for the next few days. _

_**the-power-of-love:** Yes, it was. _: )

Chapter 2: The Only Ones Standing In the Way

Ashley groaned sleepily when the alarm went off the next morning, and Andros quickly silenced it, drawing the blankets back up over Ashley, feeling guilty about waking her up twice the night before.

"Sleep," he whispered into her ear. "I'll make breakfast."

"But all you can make is toast," Ashley protested.

"And all you can make is scrambled eggs," Andros retorted, grinning down at her.

Ashley mumbled something indistinct in return, already nestled back under the warm coccoon of blankets. Andros smirked at her and checked on the twins before going into the kitchen, deciding that he could make Ashley something better than toast. He stared at a frying pan, bewildered, for several minutes, relieved when there was a knock at the door. He opened it to find a familiar face laughing at him.

"Issia?" he said, startled. "What are you doing here?"

"From the look on your face, you'd think I wasn't welcome here," Issia said, grinning. "I can't imagine why."

"I can," Andros said, stepping back to let her in. "But it's good to see you again."

"It's good to see you, too," Issia assured him. The dark brown eyes that were identical to those of her son's sparkled at him. "I'd come more often, but Aria seems to think it's a bad idea. I imagine she tells you a different set of lies than she tells me."

"I'm not surprised," Andros said. "What's she done now?"

Issia sighed, and shook her head. "I haven't seen her in a week. Neither have Justin and Gabriel. I was wondering if you had."

Andros shook his head. "Do you think she's all right?"

"Oh, she's fine," Issia said. "I know my daughter, and she can take care of herself. I just want to know what she's gotten herself into this time."

"If I see her, I'll make sure she goes home," Andros assured her. "Would you like some breakfast?"

Issia raised an eyebrow at him. "I wasn't aware that the Megaship now has take-out services."

Andros made a face at her. "Is that a no?"

Issia shook her head. "Would you like me to cook?"

"Please," Andros said, grinning sheepishly. "If you don't mind."

"Of course I do," Issia said, laughing. "But I'd rather not go all the way home to make myself breakfast."

"Thank you," Andros said. "I'll go tell Ashley you're here."

Andros smiled when he walked back into his bedroom. Ashley was still curled up, buried under the blankets. "Wake up, Ash," he whispered. She shook her head, but a slow smile spread across her face when Andros bent down and kissed her gently.

"I'm awake," Ashley said, opening her eyes. "Did you burn up the house or something?"

"I'll have you know that we're having real food this morning," Andros informed her, rifling through his drawers for something to wear.

"Really? What?"

Andros shrugged, finding a clean pair of jeans and a red t-shirt. "Issia came over looking for Aria, and she took pity on us."

"What did Aria do this time?" Ashley asked, grinning.

"I don't know," Andros said, changing quickly. He looked at Ashley, who blinked at him innocently, her eyes perfectly round. He grinned at her. "Would you like me to find you some clothes?" Ashley nodded her head, her eyes sparkling. Andros tossed her some clothes. Ashley snatched them up, and pointed to the brush that was on the dresser next to him. Andros laughed at her.

"Is there anything else you'd like?" he teased her. "Diamonds? Jewelry? Would you like for me to wait on you hand and foot?" Ashley considered, and he laughed, kissing the top of her head. "Get dressed," he told her, handing her the brush. "I'll go check on the twins."

**Elsewhere**

"You let her get away?" Samael roared angrily. "She was right there in front of you!"

Enni's taloned hands curled with rage. "Me? She was yours! I went for him, like you said. I killed _my_ target!"

"Do you understand what you've done?" Samael continued. "She's got the eight crystal!"

"You never said there was an eighth," Enni whined. "There was only seven!"

"There were always eight," Samael cried. "The eighth crystal was Light itself, and she has it! Do you know what she can do with it?"

"Light itself?" Enni mused thoughtfully, her temper simmering. "The Light has a will of its own, and no matter how powerful she is, she cannot control it."

"She didn't need to," Samael snapped. "The Light bonded with her of its own free will. Whatever she wants most, she will have."

"I've always told you that we shouldn't have - "

"Quiet!" Samael thundered. "I will not hear this! We did what was necessary for our own survival, and while whatever else happened that day was regrettable, we are not responsible for it."

"So what do we do now?" Enni asked him.

"Now that she's seen what we've done, I know where she's gone," Samael said, a deformed grin filling out his face. "And I know what she will do. She has too much ... loyalty... to do anything else, even at the cost of her own life."

"How do we stop her?"

"Does your magic still work?" Samael demanded. Enni cast him an insulted look before nodding.

"Then here's what we need to do," Samael instructed.

**And we're going back to Earth now**

"Wow, this is great, Issia," Ashley said, walking barefoot into the kitchen dressed in a blue jean skirt and yellow halter top. She inhaled deeply as she sat down at the table. "It smells so good."

Issia watched her daughter's best friend with amused eyes. "So, how have you two been? How are the babies?"

"They can almost talk," Ashley said proudly. "Sort of."

"They make noise," Andros elaborated. "They can communicate telepathically, too."

"Really?" Issia repeated, surprised. "This young? They're, what, five months?"

Andros nodded. "Almost. They can't speak with it yet, only project that they want something. If you stay long enough, they'll be happy to see you." Issia nodded.

"When do you start school again?" she asked Ashley.

"Next month," Ashley said, swallowing a large mouthful of pancakes. "I've got about six weeks."

"This is your second year?"

Ashley nodded. "It'll be easier this year, not being pregnant."

Issia shook her head. "I don't know how you managed that."

"Neither do I, when I think about it," Ashley admitted. "But it was all worth it."

The phone rang, interrupting their conversation, and Andros stood up to get it. "Hello?" he asked.

"Andros?" The voice on the other end of the line was distant, and flooded with urgency, rendering it almost unrecognizable. Andros groaned.

"What did you do?" he demanded his youngest sister.

"Nothing," Aria snapped, sounding more like herself. "Listen, is Ashley with you?"

"Yes, she's here," Andros said. "And so is your mother, by the way."

Aria responded with a long string of curses. "Andros, listen to me," she said firmly when she'd calmed down. "Your house is being watched. Get Zoe and Wyatt. Take whatever you want, and don't leave through doors. Oh, and don't use telepathy."

"So the windows then?" Andros said sarcastically. "Get the twins and pack a suitcase," he told Ashley, whose eyes immediately flooded with alarm. She left, and Issia followed.

"Shut up," his sister responded. "Trust me."

"What's going on?" Andros demanded again. "Aria, tell me what's happening."

"The same thing that's always happening," Aria said. "Someone wants to take over the universe, and we're the only ones standing in the way."

"Okay, so how exactly do five people exit this house without using doors or windows?" Andros asked as Ashley and Issia returned, each carrying a baby and a suitcase.

"Do you have everything you need?" Aria asked him.

"Yes," Andros replied.

"Okay, then," Aria said.

Before he had a chance to say anything else, the world vanished in a shower of crimson light, and Andros found himself staring at the familiar surroundings of the Astro Megaship.

**Back in Angel Grove, coincidentally just outside of Andros and Ashley's house**

Samael waited, his patience growing thin. Maybe she had turned coward after all. "I'm tired of waiting," he snapped finally. "Let's finish this before they can start it."

He drew two laser blasters, and started for the quiet house on the quiet street. Enni unsheathed her sword, and followed. Stealthily, they crept up to the door.

"On my orders," Sanion warned, well acquainted with Enni's overeagerness. She nodded. A blaster that was not his fired, missing him by less than an inch, the shot going clear through the window, the glass shattering into a thousand small pieces.

It fell in a shower of crystal, coating the carpet of the interior of the house.

"You!" Samael shouted, seeing a streak of white out of the corner of his eye. Annoyed that she had tricked him, he started firing blindly in the direction of the motion. He was kicked hard from behind, and was barely able to avoid the several shots that came his way. Enni stood motionlessly, and his attacker paid no attention to her.

She had discarded her blaster in favor of a sharp sword, which she swung in a wide arc, forcing Samael away from the house. Enni finally moved, knocking the blade away with her own. Samael and Enni advanced on her, quickly closing the small distance between them, and she made no move to run. She swung one leg out behind her to gain momentum, and leapt, her leg snapping up, catching Samael hard in the jaw. He fell backwards, and Enni turned to stare at him.

"Do something!" he ordered as she retrieved her sword, the point of the blade coming up hard against his neck.

"Go, and you will live," she breathed, glaring down at him with cold eyes. "I've come for their lives, not yours."

"Never," Samael hissed. "They are mine."

"Then you will die," she spat, drawing back the blade, preparing for the death blow.

Enni laughed, and suddenly she and Samael were both gone.

"No!" she howled in frustration. "Not again!"

Without waiting any longer, she vanished in a shimmer of light.


	3. The Light Rangers

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** Wow, you babble more than Jenny. Almost. :P I would have been online, but then my parents think playing games online at two in the morning is bad. Hey, I'll trade you my demon brother for yours! _

_**Jenny: **Yeah, this is the part where I use the light crystal thing I borrowed from you. I changed it a lot more than I thought I would, though. And do you really think I'd kill off Andros and Ashley's five month old children? I'm not THAT twisted. : D And why is AH/AY babbling more than you? What did you do to her?_

_**the-power-of-love:** Here's more._

_**Arwennicole: **You'll have to wait and see. _: )

_**Melissa: **I can't cook, either. I space out too much, and the results are always interesting. :P_

Chapter 3: The Light Rangers

**The Megaship, two hours later**

"Aria," Andros said sternly. His sister had teleported the entire team of former rangers to the Megaship. "Explain."

"It's a long story," she sighed, putting up no resistance to explaining, which was Andros' first clue that there was something very wrong. "Have you ever heard of Samael?"

"Samael?" Andros repeated blankly. "How did you manage to get the attention of someone most people don't even believe is real?"

"It's another long story," Aria said. "We have his crystals."

"We have the Light Crystals?" Zhane asked dubiously. "The real ones?"

"They've been locked up at NASADA for the last year and a half," Aria confirmed. "We apparently picked them up on one of our scavenging missions."

"So Samael wants the crystals back, then," Gabriel finished. "Now... someone tell me who Samael is."

"I will."

Andros started as he heard the voice. It was disturbingly familiar, but he couldn't place it. There was nothing familiar about the appearance of the black-clad young man, which unnerved him even more. He saw Aria whiten, and slowly turn to face the man who was standing almost directly behind her. Andros stared at him for a moment, trying to figure out just what was going on.

"Cathan," Aria gasped. "What... why... you... here... but..."

"Eltar wishes me to be here," Cathan said. He lowered his voice so only Aria could hear him. "I told you," he said quietly, his serious gray eyes shimmering. "I am not about to let you turn this into a suicide mission."

Aria seemed too stunned at his presence in the room to voice a reply. Cathan gave her a semi-amused, semi-sorrowful look before turning to Gabriel, serious once more.

"Samael is more or less the equivalent of Dark Specter in human form," he said somberly. "He first appeared ten thousand centuries ago, but the first Light Rangers imprisoned him. However, they are long gone, and the binding they put him under vanished, leaving him free. He is back, as strong as he was before, and he will succed where Dark Specter did not, unless he is stopped now, before he is returned to his full strength. Eltar sent me to see to it that he does not succed. I've recruited you for the mission, if you will accept."

Cathan paused, and looked over his shoulder at Aria, who was still unusually pale. "Aria," he said, stuttering slightly on her name. "Will you tell them the rest while I go retrieve the crystals?"

Aria nodded silently, waiting until Cathan was gone before speaking. "Samael's ultimate goal is the destruction of Eltar."

"That's not possible," Justin scoffed. "Samael is one person. He'd need an army ten times the size of Dark Specter's to capture Eltar."

"He has one," Aria said grimly. "Thank god that they, at least, are still imprisoned. But he's got a sorceress, Enni, and she'll release them."

"Enni?" Karone repeated, a flash of purple sparking in her hands as both her pride and her magic flared up. "She's once of the weakest. What's he thinking choosing her?"

"That she's weak," Aria said. "Too weak to challenge him."

"How long before Samael sets his army free?" Ashley asked, thinking of her children. They were on the Megaship as well, under Issia's watch, but being away from them caused her enough anxiety without imagining them at the hands of a monster.

"They're imprisoned on Lamya," Aria said. "One of the moons of Tinuviel."

"Tinuviel?" Andros, Karone, and Zhane said as one.

"Are you crazy?" Zhane added. "Tinuviel's not real."

"If an Eltarian says Tinuviel is real, Tinuviel is real," Aria said quietly. "Cathan is one of the Eltarian sorcerers."

"I know," Karone said. "I can sense it." Her frame sparked purple for a moment. "It never fades away."

Cathan reappeared in the room, clutching a thick parcel to his chest, panting slightly.

"Are you all right?" Aria asked, true concern in her hazel eyes. "What happened?"

"Samael decided to follow me," Cathan said. "I am all right."

"Are you sure?"

"Here are the crystals," Cathan said, ignoring Aria's question. "There are eight of them. If you chose to take one, it cannot be undone. You will be bound, and obligated to become a ranger again."

The former rangers looked at each other for a long moment before each one slowly nodded, Aria last and seemingly the most reluctant. Cathan unwound the heavy black material that protected the crystals, and set them down on one of the control consoles, where they were within everyone's line of vision. The crystals were looked ordinary enough, nothing about them suggesting their hidden power.

"I thought you said there were eight," Gabriel said. "Where's the last one?"

"It is safetly hidden," Cathan said. "The eigth crystal is intended for the Light itself."

"Light itself?"

"The human personification of the Light of Eltar," Cathan elaborated. "Should Samael find the eigth crystal, he will be capable of dooming us all."

"All right, then," Justin said, deciding he'd rather not hear more. "So... how do these things work?"

Cathan gave Justin a look that clearly said that he did not appreciate hearing the Light Crystals referred to as 'these things.'

"Have you all decided?" he asked once more, just to be sure.

"Yes," they chorused together.

"Very well, then," Cathan said. "Some of you will not be the same color that you were previously. Green Ranger."

Gabriel stepped forward and was handed the green crystal.

"Blue Ranger."

Justin accepted the blue crystal.

"Purple Ranger."

Karone took the purple crystal that she was handed, a little surprised.

"Silver Ranger."

Zhane reached for the silver crystal almost eagerly.

"Yellow Ranger."

The yellow crystal was for Ashley.

"Red Ranger."

Andros took the red crystal.

Cathan hesitated, briefly but obviously, before saying, "White Ranger."

Aria stepped forward and took the white crystal, ignoring the stunned looks on her teammates faces.

"White?" Zhane gasped out, when he'd recovered from his shock enough to speak. "That's... wow."

"Aria is the White Ranger," Cathan said firmly. "I suggest that you resume training as soon as possible."

"Simudeck, everybody," Ashley said brightly.

"Red Ranger," Cathan said as the other filed out. "A moment, please."

"Go on," Andros said to Ashley, who looked as if to wait for him. "I'll be there in a minute."

"Red Ranger," Cathan began, and hesitated. "May I use your name?"

"Please do," Andros said. Every time he was addressed as 'Red Ranger,' he found himself wincing inwardly.

"Andros," Cathan said. "A Light Ranger is the highest form of ranger, and you should be honored that you are one. However, Eltar has one unbendable rule when it comes to Light Rangers. Do you know this?"

"Yes," Andros sighed. "I do."

"I know that Aria is your sister," Cathan continued. "And it is not my wish to cause awkwardness or trouble of any sort between the two of you, but I have no choice. Although, I think it only fair to tell you that if I did have the choice, I would find myself making this decision anyway."

"What?" Andros felt his temper stir. "Why?"

"It is a question of loyalty," Cathan said simply. "Where does your first loyalty lie?"

"Oh," Andros said, the fight leaving him completely as he realized that what Cathan was saying was the truth. "How did you-"

"It is the very reason why I am not a ranger," Cathan said, anticipating the question. "My loyalty lies in a precarious place for a ranger, as does yours."

"Do you need me here any longer?" Andros asked. Upon hearing himself, he added, "I don't mean to be rude, but I should really go tell them."

"I suggest you speak with Aria first," Cathan said, his familiar voice almost reluctant. He shook his head before continuing. "But if you would do me a favor, do not tell her that we spoke of loyalty. She will be furious enough without hearing of it."

Andros gave Cathan a curious look and left. Cathan watched the red ranger go, dreading the rage of the white ranger.


	4. White Light

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Juzblue: **I'll explain the loyalty thing in this chapter, but then it gets more confusing._

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow: **My computer won't tell me how long it was, but it was longer than the last one. I'll tell you what I did, if you don't want to be surprised. Cathan doesn't have kids, but that's what the loyalty thing meant, and yeah, Aria's the leader. And I HAVEN'T done anything to time before. :P_

_**Jenny: **Um... uh... wow, okay then. Just IM my e-mail address, and it should work. (I'm not allowed to sign up for AIM) I don't normally go online until about midnight West Coast time, though. And you're good at guessing: your review was about half the size of AH/AY's. How did you go from Andros being loyal to Ashley to Aria dying? I really, really can't say anything else, it'll ruin my story._

_**Piper xox Leo:** If you're reading this, thanks, and I hope you like the sequel. _: )

_**Melissa:** I didn't watch Lightspeed, I have no idea what happened in that series. It's just Light. PRIS is really the only one that I remember. _: )

Chapter 4: White Light

**The Megaship**

"He did what?" Aria shouted, fuming.

"It's all right, Aria," Andros tried to pacify his sister, a little alarmed. While Aria was normally calm and mellow, when her temper was aggravated, she didn't bother to control it, as had happened now.

"I'll kill him," she shouted furiously, storming off in the direction of the bridge.

"Aria!" Andros called after her, but either she didn't hear him or she didn't care. Rolling his eyes at her, he stepped into the Simudeck, where the other five were waiting for him.

"What was all that about?" Gabriel asked. "We could hear the screaming."

_"White Light?" _Zhane asked Andros telepathically, not wanting to explain if it wasn't.

Andros nodded. "Eltar has a code when it comes to Light Rangers," he said slowly. "The colored lights are all seen as equals. They are the same strength, and green light, for example, is no less important as blue light, but white light is pure."

"So Aria went crazy because...?" Justin prodded.

Andros sighed. "According to the Light Ranger's Code, the white ranger, being the bearer of pure light, is the leader of the team."

There was utter silence for perhaps thirty seconds, as what their red ranger said registered. Then:

"What?" Justin cried. "You're saying that _Aria _is our leader now?"

"Yes," Andros said calmly. "She'll be good at it. I don't mind."

"You're taking this awfully well," Karone remarked.

"I know the code," Andros said simply. "There's nothing I can do about it."

"Uh-huh," Zhane said, eyeing his friend suspiciously. _"Now... what's the real reason you don't want to lead?"_

_"That _is_ the real reason,"_ Andros responded. It was a struggle, but he managed to keep his eyes from flickering in his wife's direction.

"So... what do we do now?" Gabriel asked.

"Go talk to your leader," Andros suggested. "I'll be there in a minute."

Gabriel, Justin, Zhane, and Karone left, but Ashley stayed behind.

"What else is going on?" she demanded. "Andros, you're not fooling anyone."

Andros sighed, and his arms curved around Ashley, pulling her into a close embrace. "To lead the team, your first loyalty has to be to that team," he said in her ear. "Ash... my first loyalty is to you."

Ashley pulled back. "So you're not leading us because of me? Andros - "

"No," Andros said quickly. "I'm not leading because Aria is the white ranger."

"If Eltar didn't have this code, would you be looking for a way out?" Ashley asked him.

"Yes," Andros admitted. "But not just because of you. A part of me always hated it, Ash. I can't think the way Aria can under pressure. You've seen her fight."

"I know," Ashley said. "But I've also seen you fight. You two are equally strong, and Cathan shouldn't -"

"Ash," Andros sighed. "He doesn't have a choice. You know how Eltar is. I'm okay with it, I don't want to lead anymore."

"Are you sure?"

"Very," Andros said, tilting her face up to kiss her. "Come on, let's go see if there's anything left of Cathan."

**The bridge**

There was. Either Aria had calmed down between the Simudeck and the bridge, or Cathan was a much better fighter than they had anticipated, but when Andros and Ashley arrived at the bridge, Aria was sitting calmly - almost too calmly - in a seat, talking with Karone and Zhane.

"Hey, Andros," Aria greeted him. "Sorry if I went a little crazy before. It's just a shock."

"It's all right," Andros assured her. He couldn't help thinking that he should have been the one angry, and Aria should be the one convincing him that it was okay.

"What do we do now?" Justin asked, groaning inwardly. He'd just barely gotten used to taking orders from Andros, and now he found himself taking them from his twin sister.

Aria's eyes darted anxiously at Cathan, who was doing an excellent job of blending in with the wall. "We go to Lamya and stop him," Aria said after a long moment of hesitation. "Deca, set a course."

"Course set," Deca announced several minutes later. The rangers stared uneasily at each other before Aria stood up abruptly.

"I'm going to train," she announced, stalking off the bridge. After a pause, Cathan left as well, heading in the opposite direction, most likely to the guestroom that he had chosen.

"What do we do now?" Karone asked. "This is all too weird."

"Aria can do it." Andros got the feeling that he was going to have a hard time convincing anyone that he didn't want to lead this mission.

Zhane sighed. "I'm the only one here who's not related to her in some way. Yet," he added, glancing at Karone, and the diamond ring on the fourth finger of her left hand. "The point is, she's your sister. Don't you trust her?"

"I trust her," Justin said. "But she's crazy."

"She is not," Ashley said, coming to the defense of her friend. "Everything she does is for a reason."

"And the reason is usually a huge, complicated, not to mention dangerous situation that she's managed to get herself into," Gabriel pointed out. "But... no one can get themselves into and then out of anything better than Aria can."

"Are you sure you're okay with it, Andros?" Zhane asked.

"Yes," Andros replied, a little irritably. "I'm fine with it."

Karone sighed. "I trust Aria," she said. "But things were fine before."

"She's the white ranger," Zhane said. "And Eltar will expect us to follow her."

"And we will," Andros said firmly.

The others agreed, but not without reservations. The general concensus among them was that no matter how strong, loyal, and intelligent Aria was, she was too reckless for them to be completely comfortable following her orders.

**The Simudeck**

Aria herself had similar reservations. Selecting one of the highest levels of training simulations, she began working herself to the point of exhaustion, determined that this mission would not end in the deaths of those she loved, no matter what the cost to herself.

"End simulation," she finally panted out, defeating one final monster. Soaked in sweat, she sank tiredly to the floor, her back against the wall, and her knees drawn up. As she sat thinking, her fingers found the chain that hung from her neck, and slid along it until they found what hung from it. Clasping her fingers around it, the cool metal soon warmed with her touch and Aria sighed.

"Aria?"

She jumped as she heard Ashley's voice, and quickly shoved the chain back under her shirt. "So... when's the mutiny?" she asked with forced cheerfulness.

"There is no mutiny," Ashley said firmly, sitting down alongside her. "Are you okay with this?"

"No," Aria admitted, toying with a few strands of her damp hair. "I'm really not. I don't want this. I never wanted any of this. All I wanted was to - " She broke off, and shrugged, shaking her head.

"Does Cathan really have no choice?"

Aria sighed. "He's too... noble... to lie to Eltar," she said finally. "But he's not exactly happy about it either."

"So is this where you've been for the last week?" Ashley asked. "With Cathan?"

"Yeah," Aria said, shifting uneasily.

"What's wrong?"

"It's complicated," Aria said, avoiding the question. "What have you been doing in the last week?"

"Nothing new," Ashley said. She sighed. "I love my life, but sometimes I miss the adventure."

"Don't worry," Aria assured her dryly, sounding more like herself for the first time that day. "This will be enough of an adventure to last a lifetime."

"Just try not to kill us all," Ashley cautioned with mock seriousness, but Aria didn't smile.

"I'll try," she said, worry creeping back into her tone.

"Sorry," Ashley said sheepishly, seeing her face. "I didn't mean - "

"I know," Aria said, resting her chin on her forearms. "I'm just a little freaked out."

"You'll do fine," Ashley tried to convince her. "You've always given us orders, anyway."

Aria laughed slightly. "I guess so." She paused. "Is Andros really taking it this well?"

Ashley nodded. "He really doesn't want to lead."

"Wow," Aria said. Her voice was much meeker than normal. "I guess I'm really doing it, then."

"You really are," Ashley said, watching Aria's face as it all sunk in. "Don't worry, everything will be fine."

"I hope you're right, Ash," Aria said, shaking her head. "You have no idea."

_A/N: Poll:  Which rangers should die? I think I've already decided, but I'm wondering what you think. Review, please. _:-)


	5. Before the Battle

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Juzblue: **One of them HAS to die. Unless I decide I like that person too much and figure out a way to let them live. And Aria as leader will be very... interesting is a good word. _: )

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** Okay, I'll respond to ALL of your review. :P I'm still confused as to Random People 1, 2, and 3 are, so I'm being completely honest when I say I don't know if Aria is Random Person 4. And I told you some stuff, now use it to TAUNT JENNY! (I should stop saying that) And I'm responding to all of your reveiw. Happy now? Huh? Is this nice enough:P I'll avoid the next question, but this chapter might give you a clue. So it's not fair to Issia to kill her 'real' kid, but it's okay to kill her adopted one? Okay, then... And who gave Jenny Time Force powers? That can't be smart... This review was a lot shorter than the last one (not that I'm keeping track.) 7 days until your birthday? By the time you read this, it will probably be 5 or something... Is that supposed to be a hint?_

_**Piper xox Leo:** Yeah, one of them is going to die. Sorry. I don't really want to kill them either._

_**Arwennicole: **Andros can't be the leader anymore, because he'd risk everything to keep Ashley safe. That's sweet, but the rest of them might not see it that way. :P _

_**Red Ranger Chick: **Hey, someone other than Justin! _

_**Melissa:** It's okay, you don't have to write a long review if you don't want to. I like the long, random reviews that have nothing to do with the story, but if you don't feel like writing one, that's okay. :P_

_**gobball:** You're not the only one who wants them all alive. _: )

_**Jenny:** Umm... argh. You and AH/AY are going to ruin my story if you keep guessing. I'm not sure how to react to the rest, but it sounds like you and Wes need to take a long vacation. :P_

_**LucyE: **If you're reading this, I'm glad I made you feel better, and I hope that you had a happy birthday._

_A/N: Wow, you people hate Justin. There were 3 votes for him, 2 for no one, 1 each for Andros, Zhane, and Aria, and 1 undecided. _

Chapter 5: Before the Battle

**The Megship**

"Approaching Lamya," Deca announced.

"Cloaking sensors on," Aria ordered from the center seat on the bridge. To her right were Andros and Ashley, to her left, Karone and Zhane. Behind her sat Gabriel and Justin. Cathan was nowhere to be seen as they neared their destination.

"Cloaking sensors on," Deca confirmed.

Aria stood. "Everyone ready?" They nodded their heads. "Right, then," she said. "Hang on, we have to activate the crystals."

"How?" Gabriel asked.

"Touch them together," Cathan said, appearing on the bridge. Several of the rangers jumped, although they did their best not to show it.

"Don't sneak up on us like that," Aria warned him. "Or I might kill you by accident."

"I apologize," he said truthfully. He hadn't meant to scare them. "Are you all doing all right?"

"As well as we can be," Zhane said.

"That is understandable," Cathan said. "This mission can easily become complicated."

"We have to hurry," Aria said suddenly. On the scanner in front of her was the very clear image of another spacecraft. "That's Samael's ship. He's at the edge of the system, but he'll be here soon."

No one bothered to ask her how she knew that it was, in fact, Samael's ship. Instead, they crowded together in a circle, holding out the crystals in the center of the circle. The seven crystals touched together, but nothing happened.

"Dammit," Aria muttered. _"Cathan, we need all eight to get the morphers!"_

Cathan groaned silently. _"Do you trust me?"_

_"Is that important right now?"_

_"Answer the question."_

_"You know I do," _Aria told him. _"Now do something!"_

_"Then let down your guard."_

The entire conversation took place telepathically, in a matter of seconds, thoughts traveling countless times faster than words. Aria's first impulse was to refuse, but there was no time to argue. Completely knocking down the walls that were her mental blockade, she stiffened as Cathan channeled his power through her.

Energy shot through her entire body, before transferring from her to the white crystal she held clutched tightly in her right hand. As the power flowed into the white crystal, it spread to the other six, sending a radiating glow through the rangers. The instant the light had passed from the crystals to their holders, Aria yanked her hand back, and the light faded as it was absorbed completely into the bodies of its hosts.

_"You couldn't have warned me first?" _Aria shouted furiously, her blocks shooting back up as they all recovered from the shock. On their left wrists were the familiar weights of power morphers.

"You must hurry," Cathan said aloud. "Samael's soldiers are imprisoned in the stones on Lamya's surface. You must destroy them before Enni reanimates them."

"Come on," Aria said. "Morph by saying your color and then 'power up."

Again, no one bothered to ask how she knew this.

"Ready?" she asked after a pause, trying to settle her nerves. Taking a deep breath, she flung her left arm across her chest, her left wrist just below her right ear, in a similar stance to the one used by the rangers of the lost galaxy. Touching the fingers of her right hand to the morpher, she cried, "White light power up!"

"Red light power up!"

"Yellow light power up!"

"Green light power up!"

"Blue light power up!"

"Purple light power up!"

"Silver light power up!"

"Deca, teleport seven," Aria ordered, her confidence returning as her powers did. Maybe she could pull this off after all.

Cathan watched the rangers, knowing that this second chance was all that there would be. For better or for worse, this was Samael's last war.

The instant that they vanished from his sight, Cathan sank down into one of the seats, his forehed resting in his hands as he tried to relax. Every instinct told him that he should be down there, fighting alongside him. Then he sighed, knowing that the two reasons that he wanted to be down there were the exact reasons that he wasn't.

"Deca," he said, when the silence had stretched far too long. "Are the children still aboard the Megaship?"

"Affirmative," the AI responded.

"Where are they?"

"They are in the holding bay under the care of Alpha 6." Deca sounded dubious, and Cathan hid a smile. "Do you have children yourself, Cathan?"

His smile faded and he glared at the computer. "I do not, if you must know.."

"You want them, then," Deca observed. "Else you wouldn't be so concerned that Andros and Ashley have endangered theirs."

"Someday, I will have a family," Cathan said. "When this has finally ended." He sighed. "I prefer the silence after all. Can you please project the image onto the viewing screen?"

He sighed again as the team down on Lamya came into focus, the desire to join them flaring up again. _You help them most by remaining here,_ he told himself sternly. _They can defeat Samael without you. _

Cathan wished that it was true.


	6. Destroying the Army

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** Um, did you mean Cathan and Aria? Zoe's the baby... What did I tell you again? I might have changed it since then... And I don't know who the random persons are because Jenny babbles a lot and it's lots of fun to read but not fun to try and understand. And then I think she made up more random people than I actually had in the story. : successfully shifts blame for not knowing what's going on in my story to Jenny. Sorry Jenny:P_

_**Juzblue: **You'll see. :P_

_**Melissa: **I updated! Yay, finally. _

_**gobball:** Another one for Justin... _: )

_**Piper xox Leo: **I'll keep going, I've got to get to the end. I know how it will end, I'm just trying to figure out the middle... :P_

_**Jenny:** I stopped watching SPD before Cruger got the Shadow morpher. And I love reading your tireless rants. Keep babbling! I've got nothing else to read. :P_

_**stormcharger:** If you're reading this, Part 2 will be up when I finish this one. Or when I get writer's block, whichever comes first. _: )

_**the-power-of-love:** A lot of people seem to think that. Too bad I don't listen... :P_

Chapter 6: Destroying the Army

**Lamya's surface**

The gravitational pull on Lamya was minimal, allowing the rangers to sprint across the surface using little energy. Aria led them to the north, resisting the urge to glance over her shoulder. Samael was undoubtedly watching them, and it was only a matter of time before he showed himself.

Soon, Aria stopped abruptly, as did the others, their boots making a soft crunch on the rocks that composed the ground.

"What?" Karone hissed at her sister. "Did we go too far?"

Aria shook her helmeted head and pointed. They were standing at the edge of a sheer drop.

"Aria," Gabriel said. "Are you saying that the stones that we're supposed to destroy are at the bottom of the this?"

"Something like that, yes," Aria said calmly. This was much easier than she'd expected, considering everything. "I'll go first."

"You're not seriously expecting us to jump off the cliff, are you?" Zhane demanded.

"You can't climb?"

"I can't _fly_," Zhane retorted.

"There's footholds," Aria said. "You just can't see them. Go slow."

Carefully, she lowered herself over the side of the cliff, her arms straining as she searched for firm enough footholds. Finding them, she called, "Follow me," and continued lowering. Zhane went next, as Karone threatened to shove him over the edge if he didn't quit being such a baby. She followed him, Gabriel right behind her. Andros and Ashley went next, with Justin bringing up the rear.

_"Karone?" _Zhane asked, unable to keep himself from glancing at the seemingly bottomless pit below him. _"How far do you think it is to the bottom?"_

_"Don't look down," _Karone responded. _"It's okay."_

Zhane nodded his head, then realized that Karone was above him and couldn't see him. He'd never been afraid of heights before, but clinging to the small rocks on the side of a cliff a few hundred feet above jagged rocks didn't exactly make for a relaxing descent. He noticed that the lower to the ground that they got, the colder the temperature seemed to be.

After what seemed like an eternity, he heard Aria jump the last few feet to the ground. Relieved, he sped up, not looking forward to the return climb. When the ground finally came into sight, he let go, jumping the last six feet to solid ground.

"Are you all right, Zhane?" Karone appeared next to him, shaking visibly, although he wasn't sure if it was from fear or the cold. He nodded his head, and grasped her gloved hand tightly, not letting go as they rejoined the others. He felt a little better as he saw Andros pull Ashley into a death grip.

"Don't worry, we won't have to do that again," Aria said. "We can teleport out." She gave them a few minutes to catch their breath, then motioned them a few steps forward, pointing straight out in front of her.

"You have got to be kidding me," Justin muttered as the sight sunk in. Great dark blocks of stone, imprinted with identical images of warriors lined the ground for as far as he could see. "Aria-"

"Work in teams of two or three," Aria ordered brusquely. "Don't wear yourselves out. He's waiting for us to get tired. Then he'll attack. Shoot the stones a few times. They'll shatter." Swiftly, she drew her blaster, and fired several shots. The stone shattered cleanly, the shards vanishing. "See?" she said. "It's easy. Use the blasters, they work better than the swords."

"Swords?" Justin repeated. "Aw, I liked the Astro Ax."

"Think of it this way," Aria suggested. "You get your very own Light Saber."

Zhane shrugged at Karone and drew his own blaster. "I'll shoot, you keep watch?" he offered.

"If you want to do all the work, that's fine by me," his fiance agreed, drawing her own blaster for good measure. "What am I watching for?"

"Anything that moves and doesn't speak an intelligible language," Zhane suggested. He fired several shots, obliterating a half dozen of Samael's soldiers.

"So... you then?" Karone smirked.

"That's not nice," Zhane whined, pouting, before realizing that she still couldn't see him. Unable to send her a wounded look, he settled for, "Take it back... unless you want to do our wedding vows in mime."

"I _hate_ mimes," Karone said vehemently. "And clowns."

"So why are you marrying one?" Andros shouted.

"Shut up, man," Zhane shouted back. "At least I didn't...Never mind." He decided that "At least I didn't get her pregnant" was probably not the best response to his friend's kidding. For one, there were still a few months left before he and Karone were married.

They worked in silence for another half hour or so, concentrating only on making a dent in the number of soldiers that Samael controlled. "Switch," Karone said finally. "My turn. I'm bored."

"But I'm having fun," Zhane protested.

"Switch anyway."

"I don't wanna."

"Switch anyway," Aria said, walking past him. "Think of it as practice for the rest of your life." Under her breath, she added, "Just ask Andros."

"Thank you, Aria," Karone said brightly. "And if you ever need anyone turned into a frog, let me know."

"I'm never going win," Zhane wailed.

"Nope," Aria said cheerfully. She stiffened, and her voice was hard as she shouted, "Regroup!"

"It's too late, White Ranger, I've already won."

"We're still here, Samael," Aria reminded him calmly, her heart pounding. "Are you too much of a coward to show yourself?"

"Enni," Karone muttered, as two figures appeared. "Aria-"

"Go," her sister said. "Your the only one who can counter the magic, anyway."

"Thanks," Karone said distantly, her attention already focued on the sorceress. As the other rangers took on Samael, Karone and Enni found themselves locked in a one-on-one battle.

Enni's magic was a deep rose color that shone brightly against Karone's purple spells. "So I finally get to fight the traitor Astronema," Enni laughed, shooting a wave of power that Karone managed to dodge.

"You know, I never understood why it was necessary to talk and fight at the same time," Karone commented, blocking another shot, and sending her own back at Enni. "Or if you insist on it, you could at least try some original conversation."

"You sound too much like the White Ranger," Enni said. She shouted in frustration as Karone hit her again, and shook her arm, summoning her staff.

"What can I say?" Karone shrugged, drawing her sword. "She's my sister."

"And are you two close?" Enni pressed.

"Is that any of your business?" Karone dealt Enni a hard blow, then stumbled as Enni's staff crashed down on her shoulder.

"Don't just stand there talking," Samael bellowed. "Release the army!"

"Or you could not," Karone suggested, planting her foot firmly in Enni's stomach. As the sorceress gasped for breath, Karone blasted half the stones with her magic. The instant she did so, she knew that she'd overtaxed herself, as her body protested. Weakened, she stumbled back into battle as Enni recovered.

"You're not as strong as you'd like to think, then," Enni taunted, as Karone faced her once again.

"Neither are you," she retorted.

_"You all right, Karone?" _Aria and Zhane asked together.

_"I'm fine,"_ she replied. Enni moved slowly enough for her to predict her next move.

As she drew back her staff for another blow, Karone's arm laced out, catching the end of the staff, her feet catching the sorceress in the back of the knees. Enni stumbled, and Karone yanked the staff out of her grasp.

As she'd suspected, Enni did what most of the weak sorcerers did: she's stored power in her staff. Instead of using the staff to channel her power, she drew her power directly from it.

Karone smirked, and swung the staff out towards the remaining stones, muttering a spell under her breath. The remaining army shattered, leaving Lamya's surface smooth and the horizon unbroken.

With a shout of frustration, Enni and Samael vanished.

"Are you all right?" Zhane appeared next to her, supporting her. She nodded her head.

"I'm fine," she said weakly. "Just out of practice, I guess."

"Let's go back," Aria said.

**The Megaship**

"That was well done," Cathan greeted them. "However, it was only a practice battle."

"I got that much," Justin replied. "Or else, we'd have killed him, not just his army."

"There will be other battles," Cathan continued, wisely ignoring Justin. "Samael has other resources to draw on other than an army frozen for ten thousand years."

"What now?" Ashley asked.

"That will come later," Cathan said, after a brief pause.

"Get some sleep, guys," Aria said. She turned and left the bridge, weak with relief.


	7. Sleepless

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** Yeah, Karone's going to need to get her magic working again... and I love the idea for Zoe and Wyatt. I'll have some fun with that. :P_

_**Juzblue:** I actually did update soon! Yay! _: )

_**Piper xox Leo:** I love making fun of Zhane. The only thing more fun than that is calling Andros an idiot. I do both a lot. _: )

_**Melissa: **lol :P_

_**Jenny: **Yay, random babbling! Enni might be weak and stupid, but that doesn't mean she won't make herself useful at a critical point in the plot. :P_

Chapter 7: Sleepless

_The horror met him the instant he stepped inside the house. Nothing had been touched, but the utter stillness complete silence were enough to tell him that it was too late, that they were already dead. _

_His sister was the only one in the room, lying as she had fallen. Trembling, he reached out and touched her face. Her glazed blue eyes stared up at him, asking him silently the question that her voice never would. "Why?"_

_Dreading what he would find, he stood, and slowly made his way to the next room, a cry escaping his lips as the grisly sight met his eyes. In one corner of the room were the bodies of his two nieces, Zora and Roxana, tossed there carelessly after they were killed. Just inside the doorway was his brother-in-law._

_Their father had died after them, he could see it in his face. He had heard the noise maybe, and stepped into the room, and seen - _

_He stopped, shuddering. It was too much to try to imagine his friend's last moments. There was nothing he felt like doing more than lie down and cry, but a single fear penetrated through the daze he was in. His own children had been in the house. _

_In his heart already knowing what he would find, he crept up the stairs slowly, steeling himself for what he knew what he would see, desperately wishing that there was some way that he could be wrong._

_He saw Wyatt first, his small body lying motionlessly on the landing. One glance told him that his son was dead. No one could lose that much blood and live. He sank to his knees, jumping back up as he heard something. Running up the stairs, he steeled himself to face whatever had killed his family, but instead he saw only Zoe._

_Miraculously, his daughter was still alive, but even as he lifted her small body into his arms, he knew that there was no hope for her. "It's all right," he whispered, the need to protect her growing ever stronger as she faded away. "Daddy's here now."_

_"Daddy," Zoe said weakly, her hazel eyes already dull. _

_He closed his eyes and swallowed hard before saying, "Go to sleep now, angel. Everything will be all right when you wake up, I promise. Mommy will be there with you."_

_Zoe didn't answer, her eyes already closed for the last time. Completely devastated, he clutched her still body in his arms, wanting nothing more than to die. They were the lucky ones, he thought. Wherever they were, they were together. He was the last one, alone as he once had been._

_"KILL ME!" he shouted suddenly. "I know you're here. Kill me, please," he sobbed, knowing that there was nothing left in the world for him now._

Andros sat up, his heart pounding as he slowly realized that it was just another nightmare. If this was going to become a regular happening, he was going to go crazy. He couldn't keep imagining the deaths of those he loved without some terrible side effect.

Ashley stirred as he climbed over her to get out of bed. "Where are you going?" she muttered sleepily.

"I'm getting something to drink," he whispered. "Do you want anything?"

Ashley's head shook a fraction of an inch, but her eyes remained closed. Andros kissed her gently, before making his way as silently as he could to the crib in the corner of the room where their children were sleeping. "I love you," he whispered, touching their hands gently, not wanting to wake them. Quietly, he stole out of the room, wandering aimlessly for several minutes, the images he had seen fading quickly, but not the emotions they had triggered.

He found himself in the holding bay, and figured that he might as well get something to drink; his throat was painfully dry. He realized that it was a mistake, however, when he entered to see Zhane and Karone sitting together, talking. They both gave him strange looks as he stared at them, pale faced.

"What's wrong?" Karone demanded. "You look like you've seen a -"

"Don't say it," Andros said before she could finish. "Don't say it."

"You look like hell, then," Zhane said. Karone slapped at him.

"What's wrong?" she repeated.

"Nothing," Andros said, punching the buttons on the Synthetron. He made a face at the glass in his hand. He really should have ordered something much stronger than water. Something with a sedative, probably. "I'm fine. What are you two doing up?"

"We couldn't sleep," Karone said. "So we're planning our wedding."

"Oh," Andros said, unable to stand seeing them so happy. "I'm going back to bed. Have fun."

"That was definately weird," Zhane remarked as Andros walked away. "He didn't even threaten me."

Karone smacked him playfully. "You know he's fine with it."

"That never stopped him before," Zhane pointed out. "And I'm nice."

The wounded tone he used to say the last part sent Karone into giggles. "What?" she asked innocently, the word barely distinguishable. She took a deep breath. "Sorry. Okay, where were we?"

Zhane leaned across the table to kiss her with exaggerated passion, sending her into helpless laughter once again. "That's not what I meant," she protested when they broke apart. Zhane shrugged and kissed her again. They pulled apart at the sound of a throat being cleared loudly.

"Is _everyone _awake?" Zhane asked.

"You can't really expect that anyone's going to sleep after our first battle," Aria said. "Some of us never did to begin with."

"So I think I'm tired now," Zhane said, with a huge yawn. "Karone?"

His fiance rolled her eyes at him, while Aria regarded them with a highly amused expression. "You two go have fun," she said, walking to the Synthetron. "I won't tell Andros."

She turned to find that she was speaking to an empty room. She shook her head and grinned. "Deca, are Gabriel and Justin still using the viewing screen to play video games?"

"Affirmative," Deca said, her tone highly disapproving. "Will you be joining them?"

"Don't worry, Deca," Aria assured the AI. "Tell them to get out. I've got work to do."

"I have informed them," Deca said, sounding considerably more content. "Will you be needing my assistance?"

"Maybe later," Aria said, downing the last of her drink. She turned and headed for the bridge. Halfway there, she ran straight into someone.

"Andros, what are you doing?" she demanded. "Trying to kill me?"

"Sorry," he muttered. Aria rolled her eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Andros found himself saying for the second time that night. "Nothing at all. I just couldn't sleep."

"Uh-huh," Aria said skeptically. "Seriously, you don't look too good."

"I'll be fine," Andros said, just a hint of annoyance to his voice. "I just had a dream."

"You've been having nightmares?" Aria's eyes narrowed at her brother.

"It's nothing," Andros said. "I used to have them all the time."

"What happens?" Aria asked.

"Ashley's dead," Andros admitted after a moment. "Zoe and Wyatt, too. Zhane, Karone, their children - "

"Their children?" Aria repeated, looking slightly alarmed. Andros nodded. "Wait here," Aria said, taking off down the corridor again. She reappeared a few minutes later, a cup in hand. "Wait until you get to your room to drink it," she warned.

"Aria, I don't need - " he began, but she cut him off.

"Drink," she ordered. "I don't want my red ranger falling asleep in the middle of battle, got it?"

"I... thanks," he said. "Night, Aria."

"Good night," she echoed. She watched her brother walk away, chewing thoughtfully on her lower lip. "I think I might need your help after all, Deca," she said after a moment, yawning, suddenly very tired.


	8. Flicker of Recognition

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** At least you can drive. _:(_ Sure you and Jenny can play video games on the viewing screen, but I come too. :P My brother and I once tried to figure out what Deca stood for, but we never got it. So you should tell me. :P_

_**Juzblue:** Maybe, maybe not. This story is going to get complicated, but you'll see in the end._

_**Piper xox Leo:** Zhane and Karone were so cute. I wish the show had developed their relationship more. They could have had some fun._

_**GreenDayfan1:** You don't have to be sorry. I don't like heights either, but I don't mind them as long as I'm on solid ground. If I tell you if you're right or not, then it'll ruin the surprise for you. Okay, surprises. (This story is long and involved and complicated.) :P_

_**Arwennicole:** Zhane and Karone are so cute. I'll avoid saying anything else for now. :P_

_**Jenny:** Nope, no basilisk, but that would make a really good story... Yes, Ashley was already dead. Aria die? Karone get pregnant? Well, you'll just have to wait. (But **if** Andros' dreams are more than just dreams, Andros had two nieces. But that's only **if **the dreams are more than just dreams.) :P_

Chapter 8: Flicker of Recognition

"You will fight Samael again," Cathan said. It was six the next morning, and they were standing on the Simudeck. "He will be stronger, and you need to be too."

He looked to Aria, who said, "I'm pairing you with someone you don't normally spar against. Karone and Gabriel, go."

"How dirty am I allowed to fight?" A faint shimmer of purple outlined Karone's body.

"As much as you want," Aria said, a devlish grin splitting her face as she ignored Cathan's look of disapproval.

"Does it matter that I don't like this?" Gabriel called.

"Nope," Aria and Karone answered together.

The fight was over before it truly began. In a matter of seconds, Gabriel had been bowled over by a sparkling wave of pure power. Karone offered him a hand up, and turned almost sheepishly to Aria, who was watching them with her eyes narrowed.

"May I ask what Enni did to be deserving of Astronema's wrath?" she inquired carefully.

"We've met," is all Karone would say. Aria rolled her eyes.

"All vendettas must be kept under control," she said, half-jokingly. "But I did like the magic... sorry, bro."

"It's all right," the green ranger said good-naturedly. "It's better than fighting you, anyway," he added under his breath. Karone heard him, and didn't manage to bite back her laugh in time.

"Did you say something?" Aria challenged, her eyes sparkling.

"No," Gabriel answered hastily.

"That's what I thought... Justin and Zhane."

"Awesome," Justin said, eyeing the silver ranger eagerly.

The blue ranger made the first move, a fairly slow karate-style kick, giving Zhane a chance to react. He did, dodging it easily, and Justin sped up the tempo, giving him no more breaks. Kick for kick, block for block, several minutes ticked by as the two ranger deadlocked for control of the battle.

The other five rangers watched attentitively, a little surprised that Justin and Zhane were this evenly matched. There was no question to the strength of either of them, but it had been ages since they had gone against each other, and this was unexpected.

Ten minutes in, Zhane feinted, and Justin, not catching on quickly enough, moved to block him, and found himself hit from the other side. Stumbling, Justin gave Zhane the few precious seconds he needed to work in several other attacks, moving ever closer to victory. He managed to kick Justin's legs out from under him, and the blue ranger toppled. Instead of getting up to continue the fight, he raised his hands in a gesture of defeat, and lay on the ground, exhausted.

Aria let out a low whistle. "That was - wow, that was interesting."

Justin nodded his silent agreement as the silver ranger helped him up, panting heavily. Aria watched her brother carefully, but he seemed much less sullen than usual. She shrugged. "Andros, you and Ashley."

"I'm going to enjoy this," Zhane muttered loudly to Justin, who snorted. Andros glared at them both.

"Aria-"

"I know you two don't normally spar against each other," Aria said. "But do it anyway."

Ashley shrugged, and caught Andros by the hand. "I swear, I'll go easy on you," she teased him. Andros made a face at her, and she grinned impishly.

He let her attack first, and blocked her, repelling her leg with his arm. His leg lashed itself around her other ankle, tripping her. Instead of reaching down to break her fall, threw her arms out behind her, straightening her legs, somehow throwing herself into a back handspring. The instant she was on her feet again, she found herself spinning quickly to avoid an uppercut. As she did so, she was hit with a sudden wave of nausea, and she swayed unsteadily.

"Ash?" Abandoning the fight, Andros was at her side in an instant. "What's wrong?"

Taking slow, deep breaths through her nose, Ashley waited until she could open her mouth without throwing up before muttering, "I just felt sick for a minute, that's all."

"Are you all right?" he murmured softly, his arms securely around her waist. "Do you need to go to medical bay?"

"I'm fine," Ashley insisted. "Really."

"You should really have Deca check you out," Aria interjected. "Just to be sure."

Ashley rolled her eyes. "It's nothing, really. I'm just not used to fighting on an empty stomach. But if it'll make you two feel better, I'll go after breakfast."

"You do that," Aria said. She looked at Cathan, who took over.

"Samael will be much stronger the next time we see him. As he gets stronger, some of his powers will be returned. Among them is mind control." He paused to let that sink in. "He will use it, and you will end up fighting each other. You must to know each other's fighting styles as well as your own, so you can defend yourselves without killing each other."

"So what about you?" Zhane called, before he thought about what he was doing.

Aria's eyes sparkled at him. "Are you volunteering?"

"Oh, um, I... wouldn't want to deprive anyone else of the opportunity."

"I will do it."

Aria looked at Cathan, surprise written all over her face. "Are you serious?"

"I would find it worthwhile to test my skills against those of the leader of the Power Rangers," he said quietly, his gray eyes locked against Aria's hazel ones.

"Haven't we sparred before?" Aria asked him, unmoving.

Cathan laughed outright, the expression having a startling effect on his serious face. "A death match is quite different from a mock battle."

"This is not a good idea," Aria muttered warningly, making sure that only he could hear her. "Rangers are trained to recognize the fighting styles of everyone they come in contact with."

"I am aware of that," Cathan said calmly, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

Still, Aria hesitated. She was sorely tempted to give in, but in her mind she couldn't justify jeopardizing the entire mission for a few moments of fun. But on the other hand, what difference did it truly make if they knew who he was? He had his reasons for keeping his true identity secret, and she knew that the others would respect that.

Cathan was waiting patiently for an answer, and one look at him told her that he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"If this comes back to you later, it's not my fault," she warned him.

"Are you going to fight of just stand there staring at each other?"

"Shut up, Zhane," Aria snapped. She smiled sweetly."You're distracting me."

Cathan returned the smile briefly, before wiping his face and his mind blank of everything but his opponent.

Andros' eyes narrowed as he watched Cathan and Aria, knowing instinctively that there was something not quite right here. For one, he was still unable to shake the feeling that he should know Cathan from somewhere. A fleeting suspicion crossed his mind and he frowned.

It couldn't be; he hadn't been heard from since at least ten months before the Countdown, and he'd been presumed dead. Andros shrugged it off, and the thought faded, forgotten. There were some traits that were bound to be shared, he supposed.

Aria had declared victory over Cathan. "Breakfast time," she said. "I'm starving."

"So am I," Ashley agreed. "Let's go."

Andros frowned slightly. _"Aren't you sick?"_

_"I'm fine,"_ Ashley assured him airily. She slipped her arm around him and added,_ "But it's sweet of you to worry."_

In reply, Andros kissed her forehead gently. "Let's go, then."


	9. Sudden Impact

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** Yay, you can drive! I can't. Moving on... You think Cathan's Phantom? Really? Okay, then... Since we have that little psychic connection that all good A/A writers have, I'll say that if what I think you think is wrong with Ashley probably is what's actually wrong with Ashley. I know, I'm evil. :looks evil: But I didn't plan on doing it, I just got too lazy to finish their sparring match, because I wanted to get to the part that was actually important, which was Cathan and Aria. Or was it? Maybe I just wanted to distract you from what was important, which was really Ashley. Or maybe nothing was important, and I'm just trying to distract you more, so when you see something important, you won't know what it is! I'll stop now. :P_

_**Juzblue:** Maybe. And I updated sort of soon. :P_

_**Jenny:** Okay, let's go through this slowly. I can make Zhane cry at some point in the story. Didn't I make him cry in Twist of Fate, though? I don't remember. If I did, it was when Karone got taken again... Onto the next big long paragraph. Aria does know who Cathan is. Cathan is his given name, he just doesn't tell people that, like Aria and Ravenna. You took that line the wrong way. Yes, Cathan is the one who Andros thinks is dead, and yes, you should totally write JOIN ads for the military. And I slip in little hints because it's fun to be evil, and even more fun when people guess, because then I get to lie to them, or give them hints that aren't really real. In Twist of Fate, I think AH/AY figured out who they were in Chapter 3 or something like that, and it was really fun saying that they were dead for another fifteen chapters. And I think this is a long enough response, don't you:P_

_**NinjaStorm4Life: **I AM writing a sequel. This is the sequel. _:)

_**Piper xox Leo: **Of course I'll keep going. I'm not THAT mean, to leave everyone hanging just when you find out something interesting. Okay, I am, but we'll not go there. _: )

_**Melissa: **Not yet it's not. Gimme a few more days. :P_

_**DizneeDol: **Thanks, and this is sort of soon!_

_**jrm13/germ13/demon child from hell:** STOP CHANGING YOUR PEN NAME! first of all. Isn't three times in eighteen hours a bit extreme? Second, if you don't like the story, I could make them all porn stars, like in yours. Third, fanfiction is one word, none has one n at the beginning, and how has no a. Fourth, where exactly did you see the story where they both died and their son commited suicide? Just like you just said, in your head. Fifth, stop singing. You are really bad at it. Sixth, what do you mean you hated the relationship between Andros and Ashley? You cried at the end._

_**the-power-of-love:** Here's more. :P_

Chapter 9: Sudden Impact

**The Megaship**

"Rangers, report to the bridge." If Deca's urgent alert hadn't been enough to alarm the rangers, the sudden shuddering of the Astro Megaship was.

"Dammit, someone's shooting at us," Aria said, quite calmly, as she and Gabriel lost their balance on the rocking ship and were thrown several feet forward, landing hard against the bulkhead.

"You sound worried," Gabriel muttered under his breath as he followed his sister in sprinting the last few yards to the bridge, before the next round of shots could be fired. The bridge was empty with the exception of Cathan, who had taken the center seat in an attempt to evade the attack.

"Samael?" Aria asked. Cathan nodded wordlessly, relinquishing the seat to her, taking the one to her left. "Deca, where's everyone else?" she asked, her fingers flying over the controls. The Megaship had already taken heavy damage in the last minute, and the power was starting to fade.

"Justin, Andros, and the children are unaccounted for," Deca replied after a pause. "Ashley is on her way."

"Times like this make having babies onboard seem like a really stupid idea," Aria remarked. "Manual control, Deca."

The AI surrendered the controls to her, neither Gabriel nor Cathan bothering to voice their many doubts.

"Gabriel, sheilds," Aria ordered. "Cathan, monitor the engine."

Both obeyed her commands without a word. "Sheilds failing," Gabriel announced a moment later.

"The engine is being drained quickly," Cathan informed them.

"It only needs to last a little longer," Aria said, not taking her eyes off the viewing screen. She'd been firing the Megalasers constantly for the last three minutes, and the effects were beginning to show as Samael's ship began taking defensive action.

"It won't last," Gabriel warned. "His ship is too heavily armored. Once his sheilds are down, you've got another couple layers to go... sheilds down."

"His or ours?"

"Ours."

The lights flickered, and the image on the viewing screen snapped off, their situation becoming much more dire. Now, not only were they trapped in a losing battle, they were flying blindly as well.

"Oh, shit," Aria muttered. She continued firing blindly, in an attempt to damage Samael's ship as much as she could. "Get the image back! I don't care what you divert power from."

"The Megalasers have been shot down," Deca announced.

"I've got it!" Gabriel shouted, the viewing screen bursting back to life just in time for them to see Samael's ship vanish from their sight. "What the hell was that?"

"He's cloaked his ship," Aria said. "He's taunting us."

"Is there any way to tell what direction we'll be hit from?" Gabriel asked, feeling the fear build in his stomach.

"We're not going to be hit." Aria's head was bent forward over the console, but she spared him a glance as she spoke. In the split second that their eyes met, Gabriel recognized the determind glint in her eye.

"Aria-" was all he had time to say, before the Megaship plunged down.

She'd turned off the vertical thrusters, Cathan realized, as the lights went out. His hands tightened on the armrests, as though it would somehow keep him from falling.

"Why did the lights just go out?" Gabriel demanded, sounding as though he was about to be sick. The Megaship was careening downward through space, and the feeling that accompanied it was not pleasant.

"I needed something to power the cloaking device," Aria replied, unfazed. "Don't worry, I'll turn them back on in a second."

She did, but as the lights flared back to life, Gabriel decided that he might have liked it better in the dark. He started to close his eyes, when he saw something flash across the viewing screen.

"What was that?"

"R-13," Aria said, after a brief pause. "Or maybe XR-25."

"A planet?" he asked, alarmed.

"Yes."

"Aria, we're caught in the gravitational pull," he said. "We're going to crash."

"No we're not," Aria said calmly. "Not for another thirty seconds. Is Samael following us?"

"I can't tell," Gabriel said. "Now, do something!"

"Aria," Cathan said. "Twenty-five seconds to impact."

She rolled her eyes as the planet loomed large in front of them, although she couldn't really blame them for panicking. They'd already passed through the atmosphere, and the ground was coming up fast.

Instinctively, she knew that they were still being followed, and a sudden thought flashed through her mind. Even considering it was reckless, but then, so was she.

The Megaship would take even more damage, but she knew that Samael's heavier ship would emerge in far worse condition.

"We're going to land hard," Aria said. Praying that the engine wouldn't stall, she diverted every last ounce of power that could be diverted. "Hold onto something."

Ten seconds before the Megaship would have crashed into the hard, rocky surface, the vertical thrusters fired back to life. There wasn't enough power left to re-exit the atmosphere, but that wasn't what she'd had in mind. They were already caught in a battle, and hand to hand combat was much preferable to sitting in a ship firing blindly.

Attempting a smooth landing was also out of the question with the engines failing at the speed that they were, and she released the navigation controls completely, reaching instead for a different control.

The Megaship slammed hard into the surface, and they were plunged into pitch blackness yet again. In the utter silence that followed their crash landing, they realized that they couldn't feel the ground beneath their feet.


	10. Flying?

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Juzblue:** Okay, I'll update soon for cookies! Yay. :P_

_**Jenny: **Yes, I love smilies. :P:D :) I never said I didn't. No, I'm not really expecting you to figure out what I had Aria do now. :D She's completely crazy, but it totally makes sense when you think about it. I'm always laughing when I read your reviews. Yay, I know where all the quotes come from. It would be really sad if I didn't, since half of them are mine. Um... Demon Child from Hell? That was a joke gone horribly, horribly wrong, as you will see when you read his first story. :D :P I really shouldn't have put smileys after that..._

_**Piper xox Leo:** Glad you liked it. Aria does that whole thinking-under-pressure thing really well. She's not entirely sane though... Oh well, halfway through the sequel's a little late to change that. :P_

_**Melissa:** Ok, I have your review/e-mail. There's nothing wrong with Ashley, exactly. Sort of. You'll see. I don't know how to fix the review problem. I'd say login, but you did that... you could send it one word at a time. :P No, I'm kidding, please don't do that. _:)

_**the-power-of-love:** Thanks. Here's more. :P :D_

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** So just because this is an Andros/Ashley story, I'm not allowed to have a chapter that they aren't in? Don't worry, there will be plenty of them in the rest of the story. :P I'm using too many smilies... it's all Jenny's fault! Speaking of Jenny, only a minor headache, mostly from lack of oxygen while I was laughing... Don't worry, Demon Child from Hell isn't really an Andros/Ashley hater. He just thought it would be funny to flame me. He regrets it now, though... Speaking of Demon Child from Hell, please, please, please, flame his story. Actually, don't, that's what he wanted people to do. :D I love what Deca stands for. I always thought the A would be 'attitude' though. Yellow isn't spelled with an S in America, either, but maybe that's just a California thing. :P _

Chapter 10: Flying?

He had to be dead, Gabriel thought. There was no other practical explanation for him to be more or less upright, and yet not have his feet planted firmly on the ground. When Aria had crashed the Megaship, he must have gone flying over the console, and maybe hit his head a little too hard...

"This is cool." He heard his sister's voice from somewhere over to his left, and did his best to turn in that direction. It was surprisingly easy to move, but difficult to control his movements.

"Uh, what just happened?" he couldn't help asking.

"We crashed," Aria said simply, and Gabriel rolled his eyes.

"I believe he wants an explanation as for why we are floating around in midair." Cathan's voice drifted over to him, just a hint of laughter in his usually solemn tone.

"Oh, that," Aria said after a pause. "I turned off the gravity in here. If you prefer, next time I'll let you feel the impact."

"Can you turn it back on?"

"Gimme a minute," Aria said. A moment later, she said, "No. I can't reach the controls... Deca? You there?"

There was no response from the AI. Gabriel groaned.

"Don't worry," Aria said cheerfully. "You're flying. It's fun. Enjoy it."

"How hard did you hit your head?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"What's going on?" A new voice joined theirs.

"Ashley?"

"Yeah, it's me." The yellow ranger managed to propel herself through the air over to them. "Why am I flying?"

"Aria crashed the Megaship," Gabriel said.

"I turned off the gravity in here," Aria said. "We should really consider investing in seat belts."

"Where's everyone else?" Ashley asked hesitantly, not sure that she wanted to know. Aria's long silence only added to her dread.

"Unaccounted for," she said finally. "Deca's eyes went out when the power started to fail. I'm sure they're fine."

"So what happened?" Ashley asked, quickly changing the subject. Andros was fine, she told herself. Zoe and Wyatt were fine. "Why did we crash?"

"Samael was going to shoot us down," Aria said, sounding much more subdued. "Then the power started failing... I think we did enough damage to him that he'dve crashed, too. I'm kinda hoping that he did."

"I think he did," Ashley informed her. "I was by a window."

The room suddenly burst into light then, temporarily blinding them all. Blinking, Aria nudged the control telekinetically, slowly lowering them back down to the floor. Once she'd landed, she straightened up, and exhaled slowly.

"Ash, can you reach Andros?"

"I'll try," Ashley said after a brief, but obvious, moment of hesitation. _"Andros?"_

_"Ash?"_ The reply was immediate, and she felt her entire body go weak with relief.

_"Are you all right? Where are you?"_

_"The holding bay,"_ Andros replied. _"Zoe and Wyatt are fine. Is everyone else-"_

_"Everyone but Justin,"_ Ashley told him. _"Do you know where he is?"_

_"No."_

"He's in the Simudeck," Aria said suddenly. "He'll meet us here."

_"Andros, can you come to the bridge?"_

_"I'll be there in a minute,"_ he replied. Ashley let out a slow breath and sank into a seat. When Andros appeared a moment later, it was all she could do not to fling her arms around him and never let him go. He gave her a quick hug.

"I left the twins with Alpha again," he whispered in her ear, and she nodded. "They're fine. They... enjoyed their brief moment of defying gravity," he added, looking past her to Aria, who grinned suddenly.

"Come on," she said. "Let's go see how Samael came out of all this."


	11. Changing the Stakes

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Juzblue: **I like chocolate chips. _:)

_**Arwennicole: **I'll review, I swear. I didn't know you'd put up your next story. Thanks. :P_

_**Jenny:** I wrote it right, then! All the depressing chapters were starting to get to my head. The rest of your review I'm not quite sure how to react to. :D:P There, you got two smilies. _

_**the-power-of-love: **Thanks. This wasn't too much of a wait, was it:P_

_**Piper xox Leo:** I think it would be so cool to live without gravity. I don't think I ever will, but I like dreaming. _

_**Melissa:** Didn't work... I love the Simpsons. I love all the random background characters who do nothing but appear at odd moments. No, there's nothing wrong with Ashley like she's dying or anything like that. I think Andros would cry first, too. _

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** Which question was that? If it had something to do with something that could possibly be important to the story, it's because I'm evil and I enjoy taunting people. If it's anything else, I forgot, so ask me again. :P Good taunting. Have fun making Sims ranger babies. :D_

Chapter 11: Changing the Stakes

Fully morphed, Aria led the seven rangers out of the Megaship, to survey the damage to themselves, but first, to Samael. His ship was a quarter mile away, the light reflecting off of it acting as a beacon, guiding them to him.

"Let's go," Aria said needlessly. Silently, they trooped off towards Samael.

From the looks of it, his ship hadn't been able to pull up as quickly as the Megaship had, and had sustained much heavier damage. For one, the ship was in two pieces.

"Think he's dead?" Justin asked.

"We're not that lucky," Aria said, her eyes narrowing behind her visor. Sure enough, two figures soon emerged from the smoldering ruins.

"White Ranger," Samael growled, "You will save me the trouble of killing your teammates."

"Maybe next time," Aria said lightly, drawing her sword. "They seemed to have survived this time."

"Only to die at my hands," he retorted. "From one death to another."

"Well, then," Aria said cooly. "Prove it."

"With pleasure," Samael sneered. "Enni!"

The sorceress appeared next to him, her staff nowhere in sight. Karone smirked. Either it had been destroyed in the crash, or Enni had completely drained it of it's power. Either way, Enni was little more than a human mortal now.

"Attack!" Samael ordered. Enni looked at him dumbly, and he howled in frustration.

This time, the battle was in the ranger's favor. Enni was powerless, Samael was weakened, and for once, there were no bumbling footsoldiers to be dealt with.

Karone's sword made contact with Enni's right shoulder, and swept across her chest to her left shoulder. Enni shrieked with rage, and returned an attack, which Zhane promptly blocked. Together, the two of them wore down the sorceress.

Andros planted his foot firmly in Samael's stomach, driving him back towards Gabriel. The green ranger attacked from behind. Aria and Justin attacked simultaneously from the sidelines, their swords coming down in two gleaming arcs.

Samael was not to be beaten easily, however, and withstood these hits. Still strong, he spun around, catching Justin by surprise. Stunned from a hit, the blue ranger staggered back. Ashley and Aria moved in on Samael, to give Justin time to recover.

Ignoring the white ranger completely, Samael made Ashley the sole target of his attack. The instant he went for Ashley over her, Aria knew what he was going to do, and turned to warn Andros, but it was too late.

His protective instincts kicking in at the sight of his wife being beaten by Samael, Andros drew his blaster as well as his sword, and began firing continuously at Samael. Suddenly, Samael had abandoned his attack on Ashley, and had turned towards him.

Andros had no warning before Samael's eyes burned into his, even through his visor. Then he was aware that he was moving, but it was not his brain controlling his arms and legs. His mind was his own, however, and he struggled, but resistance yeilded no results as he found himself attacking his teammates. Remembering what Aria had said about mind control, he supposed that he had fallen victim to it.

"Dammit," Aria cried, knocking away Andros' sword and blaster telekinetically. "Ash, you and Gabriel stop him. Justin and I can take Samael."

"Or so you think," he taunted. "I know things that you do not, White Ranger."

"I'm sure you do," Aria said calmly, her tone countered by the viciousness of her attacks.

"You don't know what you've done, do you?" he asked, blocking her sword expertly.

"I've got a pretty good idea," Aria said. "So shock me."

"I'm not Enni," he shot back. "I'm not going to tell you." He paused. "But you did say that you had come for their lives."

"I remember that," Aria replied calmly. "And I have their lives."

"But you have changed the stakes, White Ranger, whether you realize it or not."

"How?" Aria demanded. "You can't possibly expect me to believe everything that comes out of your mouth, especially in the middle of battle."

"Suffice it to say that you have changed much more than you intended to," Samael said. "And the blood price you will pay to me grows higher."

"You are a lunatic," Justin said scathingly.

"I agree." Aria sliced open his arm, and he dropped his sword. Kicking it out of the way, she moved closer, prepared to kill him this time.

_"Andros, listen to me,"_ Ashley pleaded, blocking Andros' attacks. _"You have to fight."_

_"I'm trying,"_ came his frustrated reply. _"Please, don't let me hurt you."_

_"Don't worry about that," _Ashley shouted at him. _"Just fight."_

It seemed as though the harder he struggled, the more Samael's control over him grew. Andros was grateful for Gabriel's presence; the green ranger kept him from getting too close to Ashley.

Out of the corner of his eye, Andros saw Samael stumble, and for one fraction of a second, the mind control wavered. It was all the time Andros needed to break through, and he demorphed. The power made him stronger, and he was not about to make it easier for Samael to use him to hurt his friends and family.

Then Samael and Enni were gone, and he heard Aria shout with frustration and rage. Ashley demorphed, kneeling down beside him in the hot sand that was the ground.

"Did I hurt you?" he demanded. "Either of you?"

"I'm fine," Gabriel assured him, before backing away to let him and Ashley alone.s

"It's all right," Ashley said, resting her hand on his arm gently.

"No, it's not all right," Andros protested. "I could have killed you."

"But you didn't," Ashley said softly. "And he's gone now."

"Ashley," Andros said suddenly, pulling her into a fierce hug. "Promise me that you'll never just let me kill you."

"I promise," Ashley whispered, holding him close. "Come on. Relax. We're all fine."

Andros nodded his head against hers, and stood up, slipping his hand into hers as they rejoined the others, who were pointedly ignoring them.

"All right then, let's go back and fix the Megaship," Aria said.

The walk back was silent, and Andros noticed that his sister's eyes were dark and troubled. They lit up once she caught sight of the Megaship, however.

"I love magic," she said, grinning, as Cathan appeared in front of them. "It's all bright and shiny and new."

"So you approve then?" the sorcerer asked her.

She nodded instantly. "Why would I not?"

"Deca had some objections."

"She likes to be in charge," Aria said. "But if you didn't screw it up, she'll be fine with it."

The Megaship lifted off smoothly, and the rangers left the bridge to occupy themselves however they wished.

_"Cathan,"_ Aria said as she left, not looking over her shoulder at the man behind her. _"We're going to need to talk."_


	12. Dreams of the Future

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Melissa:** It worked this time, yay! Ashley's not going to die, at least not from being sick. I did almost kill her a lot in Follow the Stars, didn't I? Oops. It wasn't intentional, really. _:)

_**Jenny:** Thank you. A and C might not even be a part of this story, so don't worry if you don't know who they are. Writer's block sucks. Kill someone. Or make someone pregnant. Two ways around writers block that work every time. I do like the idea of having them meet TJ, Cassie, and Carlos. For awhile, I was toying with the idea of having their powers given to them by them, but obviously, I didn't. I don't like rice cakes, but have fun hitting AH/A**Y** with a frying pan. :P_

_**DizneeDol:** This actually is soon! It was only a day! I think. _:)

_**Arwennicole:** Yeah, it would have been awful if Andros had killed Ashley. :backs away nervously: It would have been very bad. :P_

_**the-power-of-love:** Thanks, and I did update soon! _:)

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** You made Jenny cry? That's not very nice of you... :grins: ... Yay, I get to see some of the story. For some reason, I'm suddenly glad I live an ocean away from you. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that cars sink... The Zodiac Rangers? Just start with Gwyn going to the house, and if you don't like starting there, work backwards. Do you have a warning yet? I don't know how much wood a wood chuck could chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood. Seriously, I don't remember, which is really pathetic. And I'm not going to kill A and C, but technically, I already did. :looks innocently over at Jenny: P.S. ignored. I always have fun writing._

Chapter 12: Dreams of the Future

**Zhane's room**

"What do you think about this one?" Karone asked Zhane. She was sprawled on her stomach on his bed, which she had covered with dozens of wedding magazines.

"I thought I wasn't supposed to see the dress," he said from where he was sitting on the floor, trying to formulate a response other than "I am not paying for that hideous thing."

"You're not supposed to see me in it," Karone said. She tucked a few strands of her blond hair behind her ear. "There's a difference. Come on, tell me what you think of it."

"I think you'd look beautiful in it," Zhane said.

"Good answer," Karone told him. "But I think I'll keep looking."

"Good idea," he said, relieved.

Karone set the magazine aside, and rummaged around for another one. "I can't decide what I want," she wailed. Then with a bright smile on her face, she added, "So I'll decide what the bridesmaids get."

"Is there anything I'm allowed to decide on?"

"Well..." Karone paused and looked over at him. "Andros is best man, right?"

"Of course he is," Zhane said.

"Then no, not really," Karone said, somewhat apologetically.

"You know," Zhane commented, "Maybe we should think past the wedding."

"But thinking about the wedding is fun," Karone protested.

"But once the wedding is over, what are we going to do?" Zhane asked. "You're back from Terra Venture, and after this, I'm done rangering."

Karone laughed. "Rangering?"

"It's a word," Zhane said defensively. "I'm serious, though. What kinds of jobs are we going to get? Where are we going to live?"

"Um..." Karone thought for a moment, then suggested, "What about NASADA? If they hired Andros, they'll hire anyone."

"You'd want to work at NASADA?" Zhane asked skeptically.

"No," Karone admitted. "But you would."

"Okay," Zhane said. "That's one possibility. Where are we going to live?"

"The Megaship?"

Zhane gave her a Look. She shrugged. "I'll take that as a no... Angel Grove? Or do you want to go back to KO-35?"

"Andros and Ashley are staying on Earth permanently, I think," Zhane said slowly. "You want to be near your family, right?"

Karone nodded. "Are you okay with it?"

"Yeah," Zhane said. He grinned. "On Earth I get the attention I deserve."

"Maybe we should reconsider KO-35," Karone said wryly. "Hey, we're really planning our future."

"You catch on quickly," Zhane remarked. Karone glared at him, and he laughed nervously, ready to dodge whatever magic spells she happened to throw his way. She laughed and rolled her eyes.

"You never learn," she commented just before zapping him.

**Andros and Ashley's room**

"Ash?" Andros asked hesitantly. He was sitting cross-legged on their bed with Wyatt in his lap, one small fist full of red T-shirt, the other clutching the corner of the book he'd been reading to him. Andros doubted that he'd understood any of it, but he loved hearing his son laugh when he saw the pictures.

Ashley looked over at him. She was sitting on the floor playing with Zoe, who was now yawning sleepily. Ashley gave him a questioning glance as she lifted the baby carefully into her arms and stood up, depositing Zoe into the crib. She sat down on the bed facing him, and pulled Wyatt into her arms. Andros was still hesitating.

"Did you do something?" she asked suspiciously.

"What?" Andros repeated. "Oh, no, I didn't. I just wanted to talk to you, that's all."

Ashley rocked Wyatt in her arms, and waited patiently, but Andros didn't say anything until several minutes later, after she'd put Wyatt to bed and down across from him again.

"NASADA pays me a lot of money," he said finally, not quite looking at her. "Enough to support my beautiful wife and two kids -."

"You didn't get fired, did you?" Ashley interrupted. She cringed at the look he gave her. "Sorry."

"I can't tell you that you're beautiful without you assuming that I've done something?" Andros did his best to look wounded. Ashley shrugged sheepishly at him, but his expression must have lost most of it's effectiveness when he laughed.

"Like I was saying," he said, "NASADA pays me enough money to support my beautiful wife - " Andros shot Ashley a look, and she blushed. He smiled innocently at her, and continued, "But it's not what I want to do for the rest of my life."

"I thought you loved working there," Ashley said.

"I do."

"Then why-"

"I don't like being away from you," Andros said softly, finally meeting her eyes. "Whenever I go on off on a mission for them, I miss you and the twins too much." He leaned back against the pillows and sighed. "I guess I've just don't have it in me anymore."

"Andros, that's ridiculous," Ashley said, crawling over to sit next to him. "Don't just quit because you get homesick."

Andros looked at her and shrugged. "I'll stay if you want me to."

"No, that's not what I meant," Ashley said quickly. "Andros... you should do whatever makes you happy, and not let us influence your decision." She rested her head against his shoulder and sighed. "I just don't want you to do something and regret it later."

"I won't," Andros said softly.

"You think you won't," Ashley said. "You can't know that."

"I do know, Ash," Andros said. He pulled her into his arms and held her close for a long time. "You know, it hurts me just as much as it hurts you when we're apart."

"I know," Ashley whispered, leaning into his arms. "It's just not fair to you."

"Don't feel guilty," he pleaded, his arms tightening around her. "There's got to be a reason why we're bonded so closely."

"You really think so?" Ashley tilted her head back to look up at him.

"Yeah," Andros said, smiling down at her. "I think it's there to remind me how close I came to not feeling anything at all."

"Andros," Ashley said softly. "I love you."

"And I love you, Ashley," Andros said just as softly, tilting her face up towards his. Their lips met gently the first time, but the next was much more intense. The kisses grew deeper and deeper as Andros shifted, turning his body to face her. Ashley closed her eyes as Andros captured her mouth yet again, laying back against the pillows, her arms securely around his neck.

A loud wail forced them to pull apart, and Andros gave her a rueful smile before glancing over at the crib. Ashley sat up, and moved to get up, but he beat her to it, climbing over her to get to the crib.

"Hey, Zoe," whispered, stroking his daughter's hand gently. "It's okay, Daddy's here. What's wrong?"

Her cries turned into whimpering. Andros lifted her into his arms and rocked her back and forth, trying to soothe her, but she continued fussing.

"You know," he commented to Ashley, "I'll be glad to get home again, where they have their own room."

Ashley grinned at him. "Check her diaper."

There was a loud knock on the door before he could do so. Rolling her eyes at the ceiling, Ashley stood up and crossed the room to let Zhane poke his head in.

"Do you have scissors?" he asked. "Karone needs to cut up some magazines."

"Uh, yeah, sure," Ashley said. She rummaged through one of their drawers and managed to turn up a pair. Zoe let out another loud wail.

"Aw, what's wrong, little girl?" Zhane asked, sticking her tongue out at his neice. Zoe's face brightened instantly, and she mimicked the gesture. Andros groaned, and Ashley laughed.

"She likes you," Ashley commented, taking Zoe from Ashley.

"Who doesn't?" Zhane's goofy grin only served to make Zoe squeal with laughter. "Everyone loves Uncle Zhane!"

Zoe reached out for Zhane, straining against Andros' arms. Andros shrugged and handed his daughter to his future brother-in-law.

"Fine, he can have you, you little monster," he said, pouting at her. Zoe looked at him quizzically, then turned to Zhane, gurguling happily.

"All right, I've got a kid!" Zhane said, lifting Zoe up above his head. "Hmm... Karone's going to want an explanation for this one."

"Well, there's one for her, too," Andros said, gesturing at the crib where his son was sitting up, wide awake.

"Karone and I can take them for awhile, if you two want to be alone," Zhane offered. "For the entire night, if you want," he added, giving them a mischeivous grin.

"Just don't corrupt them too much," Andros warned, tossing a few extra diapers into the crib and rolling it over to Zhane. Wyatt shrieked with delight at going for a ride.

"Damn, that ruins all my plans," Zhane said, swinging Zoe down into the crib to sit next to her twin. "Come on, let's go for a ride," he said enthusiastically, taking off down the hall, pushing the crib in front of him.

The instant that the door slid shut, Andros had turned to Ashley, his mouth pressed firmly against hers again, and his arms curving around her in a strong grip. Ashley wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her up off of her feet and set her down carefully on the bed, his lips leaving her mouth to move down her neck.

When they finally went to sleep, Andros fell asleep almost instantly, his arms wrapped securely around her waist, but Ashley lay awake for several hours, completely content to lie there in his arms. His bare chest was warm pressed against her back, and the warmth brough with it a sense of complete safety that she had never known before him.

Her thoughts drifted as she grew drowsy, and memories passed slowly through her mind. She smiled sleepily as she thought of the time that Andros had asked her to marry him. She'd been so scared that she was going to lose him, either because KO-35 was his home, or because she was pregnant with the twins. But she hadn't lost him, and now they had the rest of their lives to spend with each other, and Zoe and Wyatt, and someday, maybe more children...

Something occurred to her then, and she tried to hold the thought, and figure out what was wrong with it. In her half-conscious state, she lacked the capacity to do so, and whatever her concern had been, it vanished, and the thought passed on, bringing forth another memory. Ashley's closed eyelids fluttered as memory became dream, and slowly, she drifted off to sleep, her head filled with enough dreams to last the rest of her life.


	13. Black Light is Still Light

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Juzblue:** Yay, an extra cookie! It's okay, the servers seem to always be overloaded. _:)

_**Piper xox Leo:** Thanks, and here's more. The story's only about half done, so there's lots more:P_

_**Arwennicole:** Nope, not a nightmare this time. Ashley was just having nice, normal dreams. It's so much fun writing Zhane and Karone, glad you liked it. :P_

_**the-power-of-love:** Thanks, here's another chapter, hope you like it!. _:)

_**Melissa:** Guess it didn't quite work after all... Complain to them or something. If I ever actually killed the person who I tricked people into believing was going to die, that wouldn't be very fun for me now, would it? I say AH/AY because I know how to spell yellow... not that Jenny doesn't... let's move on, shall we? Good. Of course Andros loves his kids. And Zhane is surprisingly good with kids, considering he's a big baby. If you can't guess my story, then I did something right! Yay:P_

_**Jenny:** I'll respond to the first half with "HAHA!" then the middle half with "Okay, then," and the half about AH/AY with "You have a death wish, and if I could, I'd just have you die in my story instead of someone else, because you're going to die anyway." :D_

_**DizneeDol:** Okay, I'll update soon. Here's some more:P_

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** Yay, you named it after me! Don't kill anyone with your car. :P_

_**Aka-chan2:** If you're reading this, part 2 of Mirror, Mirror will be up as soon as I'm done with this one, probably a few more weeks. :P_

Chapter 13: Black Light is Still Light

**Aria's room**

"Aria."

"Omigod, Cathan!" Aria gasped, whirling around. "You have got to stop _doing_ that!"

"It has never been my intention to frighten you," he said, standing in the doorway. "May I enter?"

"Of couse you can," Aria said, her heart still pounding. "Just next time, knock, or make some kind of a noise. Stop sneaking around like some sort of... ghost."

Cathan's lips twitched into a smile. "Ghost?" he repeated. "I do not merit a higher form of specter?"

Aria shrugged, but she was smiling as well. "There are several words I could have used," she said, her tone implying that several of them he wouldn't care to hear. "Deca, can you leave us alone?... Thanks."

"May I speak to you?" Cathan inquired.

"Only if you stop talking like that," Aria said, folding her arms across her chest. "You sound like you've actually spent the last few years on Eltar, instead of everywhere else."

"If it means that much to you," Cathan said, dropping his tediously formal manner. "Happy?"

"Thank you," Aria said vehemently. "Sorry... I got used to you the other way."

"I understand," Cathan said. "I could say the same thing about you."

"The difference is, this _is_ me," Aria said softly.

"I know," Cathan said. He sighed inwardly at the uneasy tension that settled over them. "What's wrong?"

"I'm trying to keep the people I love alive, Cathan! We've only fought one battle. Who knows how many more there will be? We're no closer to stopping him now than we were in the first place."

Silently, Cathan reached out to her, letting her pour out her feelings.

"I thought I could do this," Aria whispered, letting him embrace her. "And I can. It's just so overwhelming, having to do this again. _Why_ did you have to go and put me in charge of them?"

"Eltar-"

"You could have lied. You did before."

"Three lives were lost because of me," Cathan reminded her softly, still holding her. "I have learned. This time, I have done everything as Eltar wishes it to be done."

Aria shook her head against him. "Wouldn't it have been enough to know?"

"I was not willing to take that chance," he said. "Neither were you, at the time."

"I'm still not," she whispered. "But I can't help feeling that they should know."

"We talked about this, Aria," Cathan reminded her.

"I _know_ we did," Aria groaned. "But we did nothing when we should have."

"If I could have, I would have done it," Cathan said, defensiveness creeping into his tone.

"I'm not blaming you, Cath," Aria said sharply. "I understand why it's not supposed to be done... I've _seen _why it's not supposed to be done, but when I stop to think about it, we really screwed them over."

"Aria, stop," Cathan said. "When it comes to blaming yourself for things that you have no control of, you're worse than your brother."

"Andros is-" Aria began sharply, only to be cut off.

"It's not a fault, Aria," Cathan said hurridly. "We were friends once, remember?"

"Oh yeah," Aria said. She paused. "Remind me again why you won't tell him who you are then."

Cathan sighed. "It's easier," he said finally. "It's not that I don't trust any of you, but if it leaked somehow who I was, then I would bring too much unwelcome danger to everyone and everything that I care about."

"So... you like being able to disappear at any given moment, not caring about the people that you leave behind? Is that it?"

"Aria," Cathan said quietly, a warning note in his voice. "If you insist on having this conversation, I will say some things that you will not want to hear."

Hurt flashed through Aria's hazel eyes as she realized what he meant. "That's different, and you know it, Cathan!" she snapped. "I left because I wasn't welcome, not because I was too selfish to-"

"No, you left because you couldn't own up to the fact that you got yourself into something that wasn't a joke," Cathan retorted. "Life isn't a game, Aria. Rangers should know that."

"You don't fucking think I know that?" Aria shouted furiously.

"When was the last time you took something seriously?" he demanded, the fury blazing in his gray eyes matching the rage in hers. "Maybe you should look around you, and see the people that you will hurt if you don't accept that this is real."

"Maybe I do know that it's real," she shot back.

"Then don't call me selfish when-"

"I'm calling you selfish because you are," Aria snapped. "I wasn't the one who refused to fight when there were people dying all around me! I wasn't the one who handed Eltar to Samael by running away! Again!"

"You know why I can't fight," Cathan shouted. "It's too dangerous for you. For all of you. If he manages to control me-"

"Then don't let him!" Aria shouted at him. "Stop hiding in your righteous self-pity and help us beat him! We need the power of all eight crystals, and you know it."

"But black light is-"

"Black light is still light," Aria screamed. "It's still light, Cathan, and you could have been white if you'd wanted to be. But you didn't want to be!"

"Black light is tainted," Cathan insisted.

"I hate Eltar!" Aria shouted. "Them and their stupid superstitions. Do you know _anything _about light, Cathan?"

"I know that black light is tainted, and the one who weilds the power of it-"

"Black light is the absence of all color," Aria said, her tone suddenly calm again. "White light is the combination of all colors. White light is the tainted one, if there's even such a thing as tainted light. Light can't be corrupted. People can."

"The Light Rangers-"

"-are still people," Aria said. "And people can be used. People can be manipulated, and that's what Samael did with the first Light Rangers. There is nothing wrong with the Light, only with the people that Eltar willingly handed the Light to."

Cathan shook his head. "No. Eltar wouldn't give the power to anyone who would misuse it."

"They don't know everything," Aria snapped. "They just think they do, and that's where it all went wrong."

"You're the one who's wrong, Aria," Cathan said, before storming out of her room.

"Love you too," Aria muttered bitterly. Not even bothering to change, she threw herself down onto her bed, and fell asleep, still fuming.


	14. Not Allowed to Fight Anymore

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Juzblue:** Thanks. I'm glad the light thing worked out okay. It was a really random thught that occured to me while I was writing, so I'm glad you liked it:P_

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** I wanna see that movie now. _:( _Anyway... Yay, you're toying with Jenny's mind. That's always fun to do. Especially when she figures out my entire story and I get to lie about it. :P You're giving lessons teaching people to drive over Jenny? I'd sign up, but I think I'm avoiding Europe at the moment. Something about a crazy driver in Amsterdam... Zhane will have more trouble with Zoe and Wyatt than just that one thing, but that's in the next chapter. :insert evil secretive laugh here:P_

_**DizneeDol:** Interesting is a good name for it. Here's more. :P_

_**Arwennicole: **So you are as sick and twisted as I am. Good to know. Glad you liked it.:P_

_**Jenny:** No offense taken. As long as you don't think that I stole it from you. Because I don't steal. :changes topic quickly: Cathan is from Eltar. But I already told you that. And the smilies are all your fault. :P My parents found me in hell. No wait, that's Demon. I was found somewhere good. And you censored too much of FL for me to go crazy over what I don't know. You spent half an hour writing this? Whoa... babbling is hard work, isn't it? Ha, no smilie at the end. _

_**Melissa:** I like the dark better, too. But with the Power Rangers, light is good, and dark is bad. II should have made them dark rangers. I changed everything else. Oh well, next time. If this story has adult subject matter, just wait until you see the next one. :grins: And yeah, I like rock. I'll listen to anything (except jazz) but I like rock. Cussing is fun, but what's really fun is if you're with people who think you never cuss, and then you start doing it randomly, and then they'll flip out most of the time. And I think you already told me who you're favorite fanfic author was. :P_

Chapter 14: Not Allowed to Fight Anymore

Andros opened his eyes the next morning to find himself alone in bed. Ashley was gone and the room was silent. A little disappointed, he got up and headed into the bathroom to take a shower. Just as he emerged, dripping wet, he heard the door slide opened, and he dressed quickly.

Ashley's hair had a slightly damp look to it, and it was wet beneath his fingers as he tucked a few loose tendrils behind her ear. Andros kissed her gently, taking her hands in his as he did so. "Morning," he whispered. "Where'd you go?"

"I couldn't sleep," Ashley said, not quite looking at him. "I went for a walk, that's all."

"Ash, are you all right?" he couldn't help asking. "You're not feeling sick again, are you?"

"What?" Ashley looked confused for a moment. "Oh, no, I'm not sick. I'm fine."

"Ashley," Andros said softly. "You're not acting fine."

"It's not like I'm dying, Andros," Ashley snapped. "Just leave me alone."

"Ash, I'm just worried about you," he protested.

"I don't need you to worry about me!" Ashley shouted. "I don't need you to protect me. I can take care of myself."

"Ash-" he started, completely taken aback, and now very worried that something was terribly wrong.

"Shut up!" Ashley cried, lookied angrier than Andros had ever seen her. "Just shut up, Andros. Don't try to talk to me."

She turned and stormed out of the room, leaving Andros staring at the door, speechless. He should go after her, but maybe she needed to be alone. Andros sighed heavily. He wasn't used to fighting with Ashley.

"Deca, where's Ashley?" he asked ten minutes later, still standing in their room. He hoped she hadn't told Deca not to tell him where she was.

"Ashley is in the corridor on Megadeck 2," Deca replied a moment later. "Shall I inform her that you are looking for her?"

"No," Andros said quickly. "Don't tell her. I'll go myself."

He stepped out of his room just as Aria stalked by. "Hey," he said, but his sister paid no attention to him.

"She is currently in a volatile state."

Andros looked up to see Cathan leaning against the wall, his arms crossed.

"What'd you do to her?" he asked suspiciously. He'd been wondering for awhile what kind of relationship Aria and Cathan had.

"I am not completely sure myself," the black clad man said thoughtfully, "but I think it is safe to say that she resents me for the position she believes that I have put her in."

"Look," Andros sighed. "I don't know what's going on between you and Aria, and I probably don't want to, but I don't want you to hurt her. If she thinks that you've used her somehow, she won't take that lightly."

"I may have said that she takes everything lightly," Cathan admitted.

"It's how she deals with everything," Andros said, coming to his sister's defense. "But that doesn't mean that she doesn't know how serious a situation really is."

Cathan sighed. "You may be right."

Andros started to walk towards the Megalift, then stopped, and looked back at Cathan. "Don't hurt my sister," he said warningly. He smiled wryly and added, "I'd say that I'd have to hurt you, but there'd be nothing left."

"I am well aware of that," Cathan said seriously, and Andros started wondering again what was between him and Aria. He shrugged it off as he entered the Megalift. Aria could take care of herself.

"Deca, Megadeck 2," he said, sighing as the doors slid shut. He straightened up again as they opened, and he saw Ashley pacing around the corridors. She stopped as she saw him, and Andros knew that she was debating whether to storm off again or not.

"What?" she demanded.

"Ash, I'm sorry," Andros said quickly, before she could leave. "I didn't mean to upset you before. I wasn't trying to make you feel -"

Ashley's face slowly crumpled as he stood there talking, and she burst into tears. Automatically, Andros moved to her side, intending to pull her into his arms. Once there, he realized that maybe he shouldn't, but Ashley didn't resist when he wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"Why are you so sweet to me?" she choked out through her tears. "I screamed at you for loving me, and you're here apologizing for it."

"Shh, Ash," he whispered, holding her close. "Don't cry. Everything's going to be okay."

"It's not okay," Ashley wailed, her emotions beginning to fly out of control. "I let everyone down!"

"Ash, what's wrong?" Andros asked her plaintively.

"I woke up this morning, and I was feeling even worse than I was yesterday morning," Ashley confessed. "So I went to the medical bay to have Deca do some tests."

"Tests?" Andros repeated, the alarm evident in his voice. "Ash-"

"Andros, I'm six weeks pregnant," Ashley whispered.

"You're what?" Andros stared at her blankly for a minute, her words taking some time to register. When they did, he reached out, pulling her into a fierce hug. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Ashley murmured. She was watching him anxiously, waiting for his reaction.

Andros laughed, and kissed her with all the love he felt for her.

"Don't scare me like that again," he said, still holding her. "I thought there was something wrong."

"I'm sorry," Ashley whispered, starting to cry again. "And I'm so sorry I yelled at you before. I'm really sorry."

"It's all right, Ash," Andros assured her, hoping that she wasn't going to have mood swings for her entire pregnancy. "Don't worry about it."

"I'm not allowed to fight anymore, am I?" Ashley asked dejectedly.

"No," Andros said firmly, trying not to think about her dying. "Don't worry, the others will understand."

"But I let everyone down," Ashley wailed, in tears again. "Now they're a ranger short."

"Shh," Andros whispered soothingly, stroking her hair with one hand, hoping that she wouldn't become too hysterical. "Ash, you didn't let anyone down. We've only been here two weeks. If you're six weeks pregnant, you were pregnant before we got here, it just wasn't showing yet."

"You're making all that up," Ashley accused him. Andros rolled his eyes at the ceiling before tilting Ashley's chin up, forcing her to look into his eyes.

"Ashley, I love you, and I promise, no one's going to think that you let them down," Andros whispered.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive," Andros assured her. "Now, stop worrying, and relax. Are you hungry? Do you need anything?"

Ashley giggled and wiped her eyes. "If you're going to do that for the next six and a half months, I'm never going to relax," she warned him.

"I don't care," Andros said, kissing the side of her head.

"Why are you so sweet?" Ashley asked him, sounding close to tears again. "If we have more kids, you can't quit working at NASADA, and last night you said you wanted to, but we'll need the money, and I don't want you to have to-"

"Ash, calm down," Andros said quickly, before she could get too caught up in guilt. "I wasn't going to quit for a few more years anyway, and if I had to choose between NASADA and these babies, I'd choose these babies."

"Are we having twins again?" Ashley asked him, momentarily distracted by him saying 'these babies' instead of 'this baby."

"Probably." Andros grinned at her. "Ash, you are a wonderful mother, and I love you so much."

"I love you," Ashley whispered back. "You're sure you're okay with this, right? I mean, we talked about having more kids sometime, but we never planned on it being so soon..."

"I don't remember planning Zoe and Wyatt, either," Andros reminded her. "But we seem to be doing pretty good, don't we?"

"Yeah," Ashley said, smiling. "They're going to have little brothers or sisters!"

Andros laughed again. "No one in my family has ever had identical twins," he said thoughtfully, "so I guess that we'll have one of each again."

"I'll bet you that Karone will have identical twins," Ashley said.

"How do you know that?" Andros asked, just a hint of suspicion in his voice.

"Zhane's an exception to most rules," Ashley said, grinning. "He's going to ruin the pattern."

Andros laughed, and then looked at her, slightly startled. "Actually, identical twins run in Zhane's family. His mother was one."

"I told you so," Ashley said smugly.

"Speaking of Zhane," Andros said, suddenly remembering where Zoe and Wyatt were, "maybe we should go make sure Zoe and Wyatt are still alive."

"Should we tell them?" Ashley asked.

"They'll want a reason for why you're not fighting anymore," Andros said, taking her hand as they walked towards the Megalift. "I don't think we have much of a choice."

"I guess you're right," Ashley said, looking at the floor.

"Unless you don't want to tell them yet," Andros said. "We could make something up."

"No, we should just tell them," Ashley muttered. "I just hope they'll react as our family, and not as rangers."

"Ash, don't feel like you've let anyone down," Andros pleaded yet again. "We didn't know that we'd end up rangers again. Just relax, and only think about yourself for the next few months, all right?"

Ashley gave him a small smile and threw her arms around his neck. "I love you so much," she whispered.

"I love you too, Ash," Andros whispered back.


	15. An Unusual Morning

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Juzblue:** Yeah, you were right. I just gave Andros and Ashley four children before anyone else is even married. I think that's enough for a few years, don't you:P_

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow: **You can introduce everyone to A and C, but I'm not sure they'll be in the story. I might end it just after... um, you know... I think Wyatt's older. I never really thought about that before, but I want A to be older than C, since A will be a lot like... um, you know..., and it'd just fit A's personality to be born first. How come Sims Zhane got twins? Andros and Ashley should get twins. And of course I want to read your songfic when it's done. But I don't think anyone will call you, the charges would be too much. :P _

_**DizneeDol**: Thanks. I love making Andros and Ashley have babies. It's so much fun, especially when it's twins. :P_

_**Melissa:** I just did twins for the story. I only like them in stories, actually. If I end up having two sets of twins in real life, that'd be so awful. I don't think my next story will be rated R. Most of it's implied, and there's no graphic-ness, at least not yet, and there probably won't be, because I really, really don't want to write out those scenes. Don't feel bad, I'm older than you, and I'm not supposed to watch R-rated stuff either. (But I do.) :P_

_**Jenny:** I couldn't think of another title for the chapter that wouldn't give away what happened in it. Aria and Cathan will make up, but not by talking, at least not about themselves, exactly. And Aria would so beat Cathan dead. I love the little excerpt thingy. And you'd better finish my story in time. :insert threat here:You can have a smilie this time :P_

_**Piper xox Leo:** Yup, Ashley's pregnant. Wow, I made her really moody, didn't I:P_

_**Arwennicole:** Ashley really flipped out, didn't she? Oh well, she's the one having the babies, she can get as moody as she wants. :P_

Chapter 15: An Unusual Morning

"... was saying Justin, we should really..."

Whatever Aria had been about to say to her twin was lost the moment that they entered the hangar bay. Zhane and Karone were the only ones in the room, and both were wearing decidedly guilty expressions and looking anywhere but at each other, at her, or in the general direction of the jump tubes.

"Oh, hell," Aria groaned. "What'd you do now?"

"Nothing!" Zhane wailed. "I swear, we didn't do anything, but Andros won't believe us, and he'll kill me, so Karone and I can never have our own children to replace the ones that we broke!"

"You broke their children?" Aria said, giving him a very strange look. Justin, who was keeping quiet for once, was laughing silently. "Um... explain?"

"Well, Karone needed scissors to cut out a picture of this really ugly dress that she really, really loves-" he ducked as a small spark of purple came in his direction "-but we didn't have any, so I went to ask Andros and Ashley if they had any, and they did, so I took the scissors."

"And...?"

"And what?" Zhane asked, momentarily perplexed. "I took the scissors that Karone needed."

"And got no sleep, apparently," Aria said.

"Of course I didn't sleep, we were trying to fix them!"

"How did you _break_ them?" Aria questioned patiently, rolling her eyes.

"Well, when I went in there, Zoe was crying, and then she saw me and laughed, and she wanted me to hold her, so Andros gave her to me, and then Wyatt woke up, and I said Karone and I would watch them for the rest of the night so Andros and Ashley could be alone, to, you know. So Karone and I were watching them, and then they weren't exactly themselves anymore. And we tried to undo it, but we can't and Karone even tried her magic, but it won't work, because she said it wasn't magic in the first place."

"Uh-huh," Aria said, nodding slowly. "Let's start with something simple. Where_ are_ Zoe and Wyatt?"

"Um," Karone said. She slowly got up and went to the jump tubes.

"We blocked it off," Zhane said, at Aria's look. "We just got tired of chasing them."

"Tired of chasing toddlers who can't walk..." Aria's skeptical question dissolved into something along the lines of "oh, my god," as Karone retrieved Zoe and Wyatt.

She and Justin exchanged glances and burst out laughing.

"What were you doing just before this happened?"

"Well..." Karone said slowly. "We played with them for awile, and then they needed their diapers changed. Have you ever seen Zhane change a diaper? It's really funny. And then we were trying -_ Zhane_ was trying to teach them... oops."

"Oops?" Aria repeated. "What could you have possibly been teaching them that would end up like... Ghosting? You were trying to see if they could ghost, weren't you?"

"Um," Zhane said. "Kinda."

"Well, then that's why Karone's magic won't fix them," Aria said. "Ghosting can only be undone by the person who did the ghosting in the first place...although it doesn't explain why Wyatt doesn't even look like anything real..."

"Andros and Ashley are in the hall," Deca announced, sounding no less amused than Aria.

"I'll fix them if you stall them," she said to Zhane, who fled the room. "All right, let's do Zoe first. Karone, you hold down her wings, or flippers, whatever those things are..."

Kneeling down, she made eye contact with her neice, and gently began probing her mind with her telepathy, urging her to transform back into a more recognizable shape. Zoe did, her hazel eyes sparkling secretively as she did so. It took a considerable amount more coaxing to get the same result with Wyatt, and in the end, he ended up back a human baby just as Andros and Ashley entered, Zhane shouting after them, "Wait, you can't go in there!"

"What's going on?" Andros demanded, just as Aria straightened up, her nephew cradled in her arms.

"Oh, you know," she said. "Zoe was a penguin for a few minutes there, and Wyatt was whatever you call a cross between a zebra and a chicken. A hyena, maybe. So, you know, the usual."

"Morning, everybody," Gabriel said, entering the room, saving Andros from having to form a reply. He was followed shortly by Cathan. "What'd I miss?"

"Nothing," Zhane and Karone answered together.

Andros shrugged, and looked at Ashley. They hadn't stopped smiling since they'd walked into the room, but Aria noticed that Ashley looked slightly anxious.

"Um, everyone?" she said hesitantly. "We have something to tell you guys."

_A/N: Okay, so I'm (very obviously) stalling. I haven't quite figured out who's going to react how when they hear the news. Suggestions? Review please. :P_


	16. One Ranger Lost, One Ranger Gained

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow**: Okay, fine, I'll help you and I won't throw things. Happy? Good. :P Cathan takes the news pretty well, I think, especially with what he has to do now, but you can decide for yourself._

_**Juzblue:** Most people will be pretty happy, yeah. Aria takes it... wait, just read. :P_

_**Piper xox Leo:** I love that phrase too, and I just couldn't resist having Zhane the one to say it._

_**Melissa:** Yeah, twins are only cute in stories. The only set of twins I knew in real life were these two girls who were kinda crazy. You're allowed to have **some** graphic stuff, I think, just nothing that's like NC-17. I'm not quite sure. I'll look it up when I write something that graphic. :P_

_**the-power-of-love:** Of course Zhane's going to take the news well. Think of all the jokes he can make. :grins evilly:P_

_**DizneeDol:** It's okay, I've gotten plenty of other suggestions, so don't worry about it. And I finally figured out what's happening next, so I'll be able to update a lot this week._

_**Jenny:** Um, I think you should stay away from the sugar, or at least brownies. I like being able to understand my reviews. No one's going to think that Ashley let them down, they know she would never do that, and besides, she was already pregnant. Have fun camping, and you'd better be doing lots and lots of writing. Don't worry, I swear I won't steal your job as beta-reader. (And if I was a mean person, I'd take this opportunity to point out that I already know what's going to happen, so I'm not going crazy trying to figure out that the little girl... oh, right, I'm supposed to keep my mouth shut. But I'm not a mean person.) :P_

_**Arwennicole:** I'm done stalling now, at least for a few chapters. I finally figured out what I'm doing! No happily ever after? Oh well, I'm still going to say it. I seem to have become addicted to that phrase. :P_

Chapter 16: One Ranger Lost, One Ranger Gained

"This is good news, isn't it?" Justin asked. When Andros nodded, he added, "I don't like good news."

"Well you're going to hear it anyway, so shut up and sit down," Ashley snapped. "Sorry," she added belatedly, at his startled look.

"We're listening," Aria said, smothering a grin as she glanced at her twin. "Go on."

Ashley nodded nervously, and glanced at Andros.

"Do you want me to tell them?" he asked her softly. She smiled at him gratefully, but shook her head.

"Okay, you guys," she said hesitantly, taking a deep breath, "I'm pregnant."

For a few seconds, no one moved, and Ashley's heart raced at the thought of them hating her for abandoning them. Then Aria stood up and walked around the table to hug them both.

"Congratulations, Ash," Aria said in her ear as she embraced her.

"Thanks," Ashley whispered, relieved.

By the time Aria let go of them, the other rangers seemed to have gotten over their shock, and were congratulating them as well.

"Hey, man, you've gotta be crazy," Zhane said to Andros, quietly, well out of the earshot of both Ashley and Karone. "Four kids?"

Andros shrugged. "Why don't you wait and see how many you'll end up with before you say anything?"

"Is this a trick question?" Zhane asked suspiciously. "Where if I answer wrong, you'll kill me and not let me marry Karone?"

Andros rolled his eyes and grinned. "If I wasn't happy, you would be in pain right now."

"You'll stop being happy as soon as you realize that you'll have four kids about a week before you're twenty," Justin muttered, also casting anxious glances at Ashley. "Good luck with that."

"Thanks," Andros said, knowing that was the closest he'd get to a congratulations out of his little brother.

"No, seriously," Justin said. "Good luck with that."

Karone looked enviously at Ashley. "I'm happy for you," she said. "But you're pregnant for the second time, and I'm not even married!"

"Whoa," Zhane said, quickly stepping over to his fiancé. "We'll get there. Later."

Karone let him hug her, but over his shoulder, she grinned mischievously. Andros' happiness only grew at seeing his best friend almost panicking.

"You two deserve it," Gabriel told them. He paused, and grinned. "Can you name one after me this time?"

"You and Ashley are extremely lucky," Cathan said very quietly and very seriously.

"Yeah," Andros said, a little starled by Cathan's somberness. "We really are."

He wrapped his arms around Ashley's shoulders from behind, and she laughed, leaning happily into his embrace.

"I'm assuming Ash won't be fighting anymore?" Zhane said carefully, inching away from her.

Ashley sighed. "No. You guys understand, right? I mean, you're a ranger short now."

"Of course we understand," Aria said quickly. "And we'll manage fine with a ranger less."

"Are you sure?"

"Ashley," Aria said, "even if we couldn't, there is no way in hell anyone in their right mind would let you go fight."

Zhane jumped in then. "A better question is, are we sure we're all in our right minds?"

"Shut up, Zhane," several voices answered. The silver ranger pouted.

"Well, if that's the way you feel -"

"It is," Aria interrupted him. "So be quiet."

Zhane opened his mouth again, and quickly shut it at the look on the white ranger's face.

"Besides," Aria added, "there's still one more ranger out there."

"But didn't you say that they were the Light?" Ashley asked.

"All the more reason for them to fight with us," Aria said, pointedly ignoring Cathan. "Don't worry, Ash, you just concentrate on having twins. Again."

"Aria," Ashley sighed, "did you have to remind me of that?"

"I was going for a distraction," Aria said. "It worked, didn't it?"

"Um, where did Zoe and Wyatt go?" Karone asked suddenly. "Deca?"

"They are currently crawling down the hall," Deca replied.

"I'll go get them," Andros said. He shot a look at Zhane, who shrugged, maintaining what he clearly thought was a look of pure, unobstructed innocence.

"I'm coming with you," Ashley said. "Come on, let's go tell them that they're going to be a big brother and a big sister."

Andros smiled, and took her hand as they left the room.

"Okay, they're gone," Zhane announced. "What do you guys really think?"

"Hey," Karone chided him. "He's your best friend. Be happy for him."

"It's not that I'm not happy for him," Zhane said, suddenly remembering that he was talking to his best friend's sister. "But... I don't know. Their our age, but they're so much more..."

"Mature?" Aria suggested dryly.

"Yeah, that," Zhane said.

"Same goes for me, I guess," Karone said. "I mean, I'm totally happy for them, it's just... wow."

"It's their life," Gabriel reasoned. "And as long as they're happy, there's no reason why we should try to ruin that for them."

"I agree," Justin said unexpectedly. "I think. But Aria, do you seriously think we can find the Light person in time?"

Their eyes all turned to Aria. As the leader, she should be the one with the most qualms about their sudden loss of a ranger, but she didn't look the least bit perturbed. In fact, she almost look relieved.

"Oh, I think we'll find him," she said airily. "Don't worry about that."

"So, where do we start looking for him?"

"Ask Cathan," Aria said, a hint of a smile on her face.

"Aria," Cathan said seriously. "A word please?"

Aria rolled her eyes at him. "Fine."

They stepped outside, where Cathan grabbed her by the arm and steered her down the corridor. "What were you thinking?"

To his surprise, he heard Aria laugh genuinely for the first time in forever. Their arguement the previous night seemed to have been forgotten as Aria stared at him with a strange light shining in her eyes.

"Don't you get it?"

"I'm afraid I don't," he said, eyeing her warily.

"Ashley's pregnant," Aria said simply. "She's not fighting, so we need another ranger. That's where you come in."

"Aria-"

"If you don't want the crystal, then don't take it," Aria said before he could get out any more. "I want you to fight with us. In whatever form you want."

Cathan sighed. "I hid the crystal."

"So then you'll be-"

"No," Cathan interrupted. "I will fight as the black Light Ranger."

Aria's face broke into a wide smile. "Thank you." She paused. "Where exactly did you hide the crystal?"

"I destroyed it."

"You did what?" Aria glared at him. "Cathan-"

Before she could continue, Cathan muttered something under his breath and was engulfed in a black light. A split second later, he stood before her as the black ranger.

"Power down," he said, eager to be rid of the suit until he needed it. "The crystals are just vessels, Aria. The true power is inside of us."

"Then why don't we just break all of them?"

"The power is inside of us, but the crystals hold an enormous amount of energy," Cathan explained. "If your body chooses not to absorb it, then you will die."

Aria nodded, and then her brow furrowed as something occured to her. "Wait," she said slowly.

"Yes?" Cathan prompted, wincing inwardly. He knew where this was going.

"How come I don't remember this?"

"It's relatively useless information," Cathan said.

"That's not what I meant," Aria said. "I'm the white ranger. I should know it anyway."

"You did know it," Cathan admitted. "But when we set out on this mission, you asked me to keep certain bits of... distracting information from you."

"Like what?" Aria asked suspiciously.

"You have the general knowledge," Cathan assured her. "You know everything that has taken place. It was only the specific details that you wished not to know."

"But you know them?"

"I do," Cathan said.

"Cathan," Aria said. "I think I need it back now."


	17. More Than Just Dreams

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Melissa:** No one died. Yet. It just meant that Cathan is a ranger, now that Ashley can't fight anymore. If I decide to let her live, Ashley's going to have fraternal twins. I'll use identical twins some other time. :P_

_**Juzblue:** You'll see... when I'm done stalling. :P_

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** Wow, you've been busy with your Sims Rangers. How many more kids do Andros and Ashley get? Yes, you do know what Aria doesn't. And see, Jenny, you won't be replaced. :P _

_**DizneeDol:** Thanks. Here's more. :P_

_**the-power-of-love: **Thanks. :P_

Chapter 17: More Than Just Dreams

_She was gone, and she was never coming back. The realization was harsh, and fresh tears sprang to his eyes as Ashley's casket was slowly lowered into the earth. She was never coming back. He'd never again be able to tell her how much he loved her, or hold her in his arms. She was the other half of his soul, and she was never coming back._

_"Ashley," he choked out, wanting nothing more than to be with her, wherever she was. He should have died with her, instead of abandoning her when she needed him the most. No matter what anyone else told him, he was responsible for her death, and he would never forgive himself for that. _

_Fate was too cruel. They were only nineteen, and he thought he'd have decades to spend with her, not merely a year and a half. Ashley was the other half of his soul, and without her, he could never live, only exist._

_He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to see his sister staring at him, tears in her blue eyes. "I'm so sorry," she murmured._

_He nodded his head, his throat constricting too much for him to be able to speak. There was nothing he could have said anyway._

_"I'd bring her back for you if I could," Karone whispered. _

_"I know you would," he managed to say. "Karone, I miss her so much."_

_"I know you do," she said, wrapping her arms around him. "Remember Zoe and Wyatt. They need you now."_

_Something sparked in his mind, and he felt a sudden surge of anger towards his sister. She was the one who had told him to... No, the other half of his mind argured. This isn't her fault. It's yours. _

_He pulled away from his sister, and slowly walked up to the fresh grave. Kneeling down beside in, he placed one hand on the loose dirt, clenching his fingers around it. "Ash, I miss you," he whispered. "I love you."_

_"Hey," he heard a soft voice say, and looked up to see his other sister. _

_"Aria, I'm not going to talk," he said simply. _

_"This wasn't your fault," she said, wiping her hazel eyes with the palm of her hand. "Andros, you have to believe that."_

_"She's dead because of me," Andros cried out, "and nothing can change that."_

_"Andros," Aria said quietly. "You're only nineteen. You can't spend the rest of your life miserable and blaming yourself for this."_

_"Ashley's been gone five days, and you're already telling me to move on?"_

_"No," she said firmly. "I'm telling you to let go of your guilt, and to remember her the way she'd want you to remember her."_

_She knelt down beside him, and he buried his head in her shoulder, sobbing as new tears stung his eyes. _

_"I'd give anything just to hold her one more time," he whispered through his tears. "Anything. It's like I'm torn in half, and without her I can't live."_

_"I know," she said, standing up abruptly. She hesitated as he stared up at her. "I have to go. I'm sorry."_

_Without another word, she turned and vanished through the crowd of mourners. He turned his attention back to his wife's grave, bowing his head and letting his tears soak the earth._

Someone shook his shoulder hard, and Andros was jolted awake. His heart pounding, he stared at Ashley, who was watching him with concern in her eyes.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes," he mumbled, sitting up. Ashley sat up as well, and he tensed as he felt her hand on his shoulder.

"Andros, what's wrong?" she asked, rubbing small circles in his back as she waited for him to speak. He turned to look at her, a look of wild helplessness in his eyes.

"I don't know," he whispered. "But I can't take it anymore. Ash, I love you so much, and everytime I dream about having to live without you, I - I just -"

He broke off, and swallowed hard, feeling a large lump where his throat should be. Ashley reached out and touched his cheek gently. It was only then that he realized that he'd been crying in his sleep. He turned away from her, rubbing his eyes, trying to get himself under control. _She's not dead,_ he told himself.

"Hey, it's all right," Ashley whispered gently, leaning forward to wrap her arms around him from behind. He touched her hand gently and twisted around to hold her close.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too, Andros," Ashley whispered back.

His arms still around her, Andros lay down again, using telekinesis to pull the blankets back up over them. Ashley rolled over, her back now against his chest. Andros kissed the back of her neck gently, his arms covering hers. One of his hands slid under her shirt to rest on her stomach.

"How's the babies?" he asked her. "Are they okay?"

"They're fine," Ashley assured him drowsily, and Andros could almost see her eyelids fluttering closed.

"Go back to sleep, Ash," Andros whispered. "I'm sorry I woke you up."

"I'm not," he heard Ashley mumble sleepily. "I love you."

"I love you, Ash," he replied, his grip on her tightening involuntarily. "I love you so much."

Ashley's breathing became slow and even just a moment later, but Andros wouldn't let himself sleep. These were more than just dreams. Much more, but he didn't believe that they were visions, either. The date on Ashley's grave marker had been July thirty-first, and it was the night of August first. It couldn't happen the next year, he remembered distinctly that they had been nineteen.

Andros gave up trying to think and against his will, tumbled back into sleep, and the nightmares that came with it.


	18. Worse Than Just Visions

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** Well... in the dream world, Ashley died on July 31, and in the real world, they found out she was pregnant on August 1. Just read this chapter. :P_

_**Arwennicole:** Well, Ashley dies in the dream world. She won't die in childbirth, I can promise you that much. The rest you'll just have to wait and see. :P_

_**the-power-of-love:** Yeah, and it get sadder, too. :P_

_**Melissa:** Okay, you can talk about how much you love the story in the next review. :P_

_**DizneeDol:** Yeah, that was sad. And it won't get much happier. :P_

Chapter 18: Worse Than Just Visions

_Ashley was still alive, but only just. He sat by her side, refusing to let go of her hand, as if his touch was keeping her alive. It might have been; her heart was already slowing, and her skin was pale and deathly cold._

_"I'm so sorry," Aria whispered, her face pale. "There's nothing else that we can do. Andros, she's going to - going to -" She broke off, biting her lip hard. _

_"No," he cried. "No, she's not going to die. She's going to be fine. Ashley, wake up. Ashley!"_

_"Andros," Karone said quietly, her eyes brimming with tears. "She's dying, and unless you cut yourself off from her, you'll die with her."_

_"I can't," he cried out. "I just can't."_

_"Think of your children," Zhane urged, blinking furiously. "Do you want them to lose both their parents?"_

_He shook his head numbly, feeling sick to his stomach. He'd known Ashley for only a few short years, but in that time, he'd grown to rely on her constant presence in his mind, and had taken for granted that she'd always be there. He loved her more than life itself, and he hated himself for what he was about to do. Truthfully, he'd rather die now with her than live to raise their children, but he told himself that he had to. Zoe and Wyatt were already losing their mother. They shouldn't lose their father as well, just because he was too afraid to live without Ashley. If he abandoned them, Ashley would never forgive him. _

_"I'm so sorry, Ash," he whispered, leaning over to kiss her gently. Tears dropped from his eyes onto her cheeks, and he sat down at her side, crying unconsolably. "I love you."_

_Slowly, he began severing the telepathic and emphatic bonds that he shared with Ashley. As he felt her presence in his mind fading, he was overwhelmed by the emptiness that he knew could never be filled. His hand was gripping Ashley's, and her skin was so cold that he thought she was already dead. As he cut himself off from Ashley completely, her body began twitching, and she let out one terrified moan. _

_"Ashley," he whispered, cradling his wife's body in his arms. "Ashley."_

_Dimly, he heard the heart monitor flatline, and he hid his face against Ashley's neck, sobbing. _

Andros shot up in bed, the images from this nightmare clear and fresh, not fading like the others. Sitting up, he wiped his eyes with the hem of the sheet. Ashley was sleeping peacefully beside him, and he lay down next to her, unable to forget what he'd seen in his dream.

He'd killed her.

Ashley had been dying, but when he'd severed the bond that they'd shared, it had killed her.

Slowly, careful not to wake her, he encircled Ashley completely in his arms, taking her hands in his, and did his best to stay awake. While he was used to having occasional nightmares, he'd never had them this frequently before, and twice in one night was just too much. He'd rather never sleep again than dream of being alone forever.

"I love you," he whispered into her hair, hoping she could hear him in her sleep. For a moment, he thought her hands tightened around his, and he smiled. His smile faded as he tried to imagine his life without Ashley. He couldn't do it. He couldn't live without her.

_I'll never let her go,_ he vowed to himself. _Never. _

With no desire to sleep even a second longer, Andros lay there as the hours ticked by slowly, repeating the words to himself over and over, somehow hoping to make them true.

Ashley was his soul, and he couldn't live without her. She was everything that had ever mattered to him, and if it came to it, he'd give up everything he owned, everything he'd ever worked for, just to have her alive and well in his arms. There was nothing that could ever convince him to let her go, especially now.

He went weak with relief as he realized that Ashley hadn't been pregnant in his dream. No matter what, if she had been, he would have died to make sure that she lived. These were just dreams, after all, he thought. Just nightmares. Not visions.

He sighed with relief, and pulled Ashley as close to him as he could without waking her. He wasn't going to lose her after all. He could spend the rest of his life with his beautiful wife and four children, and never have to worry about monsters or aliens, or ever losing anyone he cared about.

Deca's alarm beeped loudly, and he jumped. Ashley stirred, and the moment she did, Andros leaned over, kissing the back of her neck gently, over and over again as she mumbled something, obviously trying to escape back into her undoubtedly pleasant dreams. Ashley rolled over, still half asleep, and Andros brushed his lips over hers until she opened her eyes.

"Good morning," he muttered against her lips, before leaning in to kiss her yet again.

"Morning," Ashley replied, wrapping her arms around his neck as he kissed her one final time before pulling her into the closest embrace she could remember.

"Do you have any idea how much I love you?" he whispered in her ear.

Ashley smiled. "I can guess," she whispered, reaching up to touch his face. "I love you too, Andros."

"I love you so much, Ashley," Andros breathed into her ear, "and I promise you, I'll love you forever, and I'll never let you go."

Ashley's arms around his neck tightened to the point where breathing became an issue, and finally, they were forced to let go of each other, and instead lay side by side, gazing into each others eyes.

"Are you all right?" Ashley asked after what seemed like a long time. "Last night, when you woke up, you seemed pretty-"

"I'm fine, Ash," Andros assured her, squeezing her hand. "They were just nightmares after all."

"So you're feeling better, then?" Ashley asked him, grinning.

"I can't remember feeling more relieved in my life," Andros confessed. "For awhile, I was starting to believe that I was having visions or something."

Ashley shook her head and kissed him gently, one hand his hair out of his eyes. She opened her mouth to speak when Deca's alarm went off again.

"We're already awake!" Andros shouted, but he was still smiling.

"We should get up, though," Ashley sighed. "I guess."

"Probably," Andros agreed. He sat up and glanced at the crib where Zoe and Wyatt were still sleeping soundly. "Lucky."

Ashley laughed as Andros gave his children a mock glare. "I'm taking a shower," she said. She glanced at him and smiled impishly. "Care to join me?"

"I'd love to," Andros said, catching her in his arms and lifting her up off the ground. Ashley laughed as he spun her around, wrapping her arms around his neck for a moment before heading to the bathroom.

It wasn't until they were both dressed and heading out the door that his world came crashing down.

"Have you noticed how Aria's been acting lately?" Ashley was saying, lifting Wyatt into her arms as he picked up Zoe.

"Yeah," he agreed. He paused and glanced at Ashley. "Do you think she and Cathan..."

Ashley shrugged. "You're not going to try to-"

"No," Andros said hastily. "Aria's liable to kill anyone who tries to protect her just for the hell of it."

Ashley grinned. "So get Zhane to do it."

Andros snorted. "I like that idea..."

"Karone would kill you," Ashley warned him when he seemed to be seriously considering the idea. "If Aria left her anything."

Andros grimaced. "Why do both of my sisters have to be stronger than me?"

"Not stronger," Ashley said thoughtfully. "Just more ruthless."

Andros nodded. "That seems to be a good description."

"But seriously, Andros," Ashley said, "you can't keep trying to protect them. Karone is an adult, and Aria is... well..."

"Aria?" Andros suggested dryly, and Ashley grinned.

"Yeah," she said. "But what's so bad about love? Sure, your heart's bound to be broken a few times, but if you're lucky, then you find someone who you can love with all your heart and soul, love so deep that you'd do anything for them, and anything to have them."

Andros frowned suddenly, staring at her.

_"I'd give anything just to hold her one more time. Anything. It's like I'm torn in half, and without her I can't live."_

His first nightmare from the previous night sprang unbidden from his mind, and he nearly dropped Zoe as he remembered the only words spoken by the person in his first nightmare, weeks ago now, the person whose face he couldn't remember.

_"Still anything?"_

Her only words, and Andros felt his blood run cold. It had been Aria who had been there that day in the cemetary, as Zoe and Wyatt had been buried.

"No," he whispered, hit with the harsh realization. These were not just dreams after all. They weren't just nightmares, and they were much worse than visions.

"What's wrong?" Ashley asked, taking Zoe from him as he started shaking. "Andros, what's wrong?"

"Deca," Andros said quietly, his tone one of complete calm. "Find Karone. I have a question for her."

_And tell Aria I am going to kill her,_ he added silently. Shaking his head, he left the room without another word, knowing that he was about to have his worst fears confirmed.


	19. Memories

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** Yeah, poor Andros. :grins evilly: I should be mean to Ashley now. Oh well, that's what my next story is for. :P_

_**Jenny:** I know, I feel sorry for Andros too, but not sorry enough to be nicer to him. :P_

_What's the fun of having prophetic dreams if you don't go out and try to change things? And then of course by trying to change things, you make the dreams come true, but I'm not going to go there right now... Do you really think I'd make you wait two weeks to see what's going to happen next? Don't answer that. :P_

_**DizneeDol:** You're not the only one. I wonder what would happen if I left this story right here and went off to write another one. But I didn't , so don't kill me, and here's some more. :P_

_**Melissa:** Don't worry, I don't have the guts to kill Ashley for real. I'd do just about everything else to her (and I'm going to, but not in this story) but I don't think I'll be killing her anytime soon. Have fun. :P_

_**Juzblue:** Andros had another dream in the chapter right before the last one, where Ashley's being buried, and he tells Aria that he'd do anything to have her back. Relax, here's more. :P_

Chapter 19: Memories

"It can be done," Karone said slowly, giving her brother an uneasy look. "That doesn't mean it should be, and not everyone can do it."

"Who can?" Andros asked. He had a feeling he already knew, and the pieces were slowly coming together in his mind.

Karone sighed. "Anyone who is deemed... worthy enough to be trusted with that kind of power would be from a planet that more or less rules everything."

"Eltar," Andros said distantly.

Karone nodded. "Eltar."

"Aria, you are so dead," Andros muttered

"I heard my name."

Andros spun around to see his youngest sister standing directly behind him. Her wry smile faded the instant she saw his face, and her own face turned an interesting shade of white.

"Oh, wow," she muttered under her breath. "I think we need to talk."

"I agree," Andros said cooly, doing his best not to strangle Aria right where she was. "Now."

He rounded on her as soon as they stepped out into the hall. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Pick one, and we'll start from there."

"Dammit, Aria, this isn't a joke," Andros snapped. Aria didn't answer, and he took a deep breath to calm himself. "What did you do?"

"You probably wouldn't care to know," Aria said. At his look, she added quickly, "I'll explain anyway."

"Good," Andros said through clenched teeth. Aria sighed.

"What do you know so far?"

"I know that those aren't nightmares," Andros said, his anger vanishing as despair took its place. "And I know that you did something to bring us all back here."

"We lost our battle with Samael," she said quietly. "He killed Ashley."

He'd been expecting her to say that, but knowing what was coming did nothing to lessen the blow, and Andros lowered his head, feeling tears sting his eyes.

"We went after him again," Aria continued, her voice low with urgency, "and we lost Justin and Gabriel."

"What?" Andros looked up, stunned. "Them too?"

Aria nodded, her face carefully blank. "After that, we couldn't find him again, and we went back. We knew it wasn't over, but we couldn't just keep searching for him, not if he didn't want to be found. He showed up again seven years later, and this time, he attacked Eltar, and won."

"How?"

"It wasn't until the invasion started that Cathan figured out where his strength comes from," Aria said, and Andros could see that she didn't want to tell him. "With every death, he grows more powerful."

"He takes their souls?" Andros tried not to imagine it.

"No," Aria said slowly. "But their deaths... it gives him energy. When he attacked Eltar, he came to Earth, wanting the energies of very specific people."

"Zoe and Wyatt," Andros whispered. "Zhane and Karone."

Aria nodded. She was crying silently now. "Their children too... "

"How do we stop him?" Andros asked desperately. "I can't lose her, Aria."

"Don't let go of her," Aria said. "Don't break the bond that you share. Force it, and I think you can keep her alive."

"But how do I keep her from getting hurt in the first place?" Andros demanded. "She shouldn't be fighting in the first place."

"I know that," Aria said. "And so does she. But Andros, I'm warning you now, if we get into trouble, there's nothing that you can do to keep her here, safe. It's against her nature to just sit back and watch."

"I know," Andros whispered. His eyes overflowed, and he jammed his fists into his eyes. "She died saving me, didn't she?"

Aria refused to answer, and no matter how much he begged her, he couldn't coax an answer out of her.

"If I tell you, then you will try to change it," she said. "And if you do that, we'll end up much worse off than we were to begin with."

"I've picked up Samael's signal," Deca announced.

"I'll be right there," Aria said, taking off towards the bridge without another look at her brother.

Andros followed her a moment later, wishing that this was all one big nightmare. Nightmares were better than memories.


	20. The Past Can Be Changed

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Juzblue:** Yay, I fooled someone! Will Ashley die again? Not telling. :P_

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** I do tell you a lot of things that turn out to not be true. But you still believe it all. :P_

_**DizneeDol:** I fooled someone else! Sorry for the long wait. I had no idea what to do next, and then my computer died on me.. :P_

_**Jenny:** Okay, so after I finish this story, Mirror, Mirror, Follow the Stars and our co-write you're going to kill me:( But I've got another really, really good story that I wanna write! Can you wait until I finish that one? Then we'll 'talk.' But it's a really, really good story, and you can't kill me until I finish it. Okay? Good. :P_

_**the-power-of-love:** Thanks, here's more. :P_

_**JakiBlue:** Thanks. So you got the rest of the story now? There were a few chapters in there that wouldn't have made much sense until the last one... Yeah, Aria did give Andros a little hint there. :P_

_**Piper xox Leo:** Andros' nightmares were real life, and then Aria, with a little help, turned back time seven years to redo everything that went wrong. The dreams was Andros remembering some of the stuff that happened in those seven years, because Aria didn't exactly tell him that she was bringing him back in time with her. :P_

_**GreenDayfan1:** It's okay, don't worry about it. Of course I'm going to have fun with the cliffies. :P_

_**Ghostwriter: **Thanks. I didn't finish Twist of Fate that long ago, I don't think. Glad you like it. :P_

Chapter 20: The Past Can Be Changed

"Rangers to the bridge," Deca announced. Andros stared at her eye blankly for several seconds before he obeyed numbly. He didn't much care what happened now, as long as he could keep Ashley alive.

Ashley was already on the bridge when he arrived, and wordlessly, he wrapped his arms around her, feeling tears stinging his eyes, tears that he didn't dare shed. Ashley let him hold her, silently asking him what was wrong, and receiving no answer.

"Andros," Aria said gently. Andros tightened his grip on Ashley and ignored his sister until the remaining rangers had arrived. Then only reluctantly did he let go of her, and kept one arm securely around her waist.

"What's going on?" Zhane asked, glancing at Andros and Ashley out of the corner of his eye. Aria met Zhane's eye warningly, and shook her head slightly. He shrugged, and let her speak.

"Deca has picked up Samael's signal," she said, sounding as calm as she always was, only the constant motion of her hands and the glances she kept shooting at Andros betraying her uneasiness. "He is heading to Onyx."

"Why Onyx?" Gabriel asked.

"He's got both an army and a power source there," Aria said. "The more he kills, the stronger he grows. Half of Onyx will fight him, the other, weaker half will join him."

"So we're supposed to fight both Samael **and** Onyx?" Justin said. "How the hell do we do that?"

Aria hesitated. "I don't know."

"How can **you** not know?" Andros narrowed his eyes at his sister, who stared back at him cooly.

"Samael also wishes to make some changes," she responded after a long pause. Aria sighed, and continued, "We'll go to Onyx."

"So we can **all** die?" Andros challenged. He saw the eyes of the other rangers widen slightly, and Ashley gave him a long, searching look. He looked away, and saw that Cathan had narrowed his eyes at Aria. She shrugged.

"There is never any guarantee that we will all live," she reminded them all quietly. "There never was. Deca, set a course for Onyx."

"Aria, may I speak with you alone?" Cathan asked quietly.

"Fine," Aria agreed heavily. On her way out of the bridge, she caught Andros by the elbow. "You come too."

"Have you done what I think you have?" Cathan demanded of her, and Aria's eyes narrowed.

"He guessed," she said coldly. "You were the one who didn't bother to alter his memory."

"No one else has remembered."

"No one else was alive."

"Stop it," Andros snapped, glaring at them both. "Just stop it. I don't want to hear this. I want to know why you didn't think I needed to know that Ashley died, that she was going to die."

Cathan sighed. "The first time around, I made many mistakes. This team ran itself the way it did when you were the Astro Rangers, but you - we all forgot to take into account that things had changed. This was a different enemy, and the team itself was greatly changed."

"Tell me what happened," Andros said, glaring at Cathan now. "I'm not letting her die."

"Neither am I." Aria spoke very quietly, but her voice carried to them both. "I am letting no one die this time, at least not before me."

The determination in her tone calmed Andros enough for the anger to melt away and reveal the terrible sadness that it had been masking. He closed his eyes and tried not to see Ashley lying so cold and still.

"Please, just tell me something."

Cathan looked at Aria, who shrugged. He sighed, and said, "Last time, I did not do what I should have done. I did not fight with you, as was needed."

"You're the eighth ranger?" Andros narrowed his eyes at Cathan. "Doesn't that make you the -"

"The Light?" Cathan smiled bitterly, and gestured to his black clothing. "I suppose it does, but I have always identified more with the darkness than the light."

"Who are you?"

Cathan looked startled. "What do you mean?"

"Why do I know you?" Andros met Cathan's anxious gray eyes with his hazel ones, and held the gaze until Cathan looked away. Aria was avoiding both their eyes, offering neither one of them anything.

"Because we have fought together," Cathan said finally. Andros exhaled, and this time, his anger was anger in its own right, anger at being abandoned by one of their own.

"Why-"

"Why didn't I tell you?" Cathan finished for him. His eyes flickered to Aria. "I am not sure."

Andros waited for Aria to say something, but his sister kept quiet for once. "What happens now?"

"We go to Onyx," Aria said. "I'll go down alone, and assess the situation. If we need to fight, then I'll call for you."

"You are not going down alone," Andros and Cathan said together. Aria glared at them both.

"If I say I'm going down there alone, then I'm going down there alone."

"Please, Aria."

The white ranger gave Cathan a long look, and groaned. "Fine."

"You won't be morphed, will you?" Andros asked.

Aria paused to think about it, and a slight hint of a smile formed on her face. "I've got a better idea."

"This will be our last battle," Cathan said, and Aria's smile vanished. Andros looked at him, his face hardening.

"So if Ashley survives this, then she'll be safe?"

"As far as I can tell," Aria said. "If it helps any, she should have died two days ago. The past can be changed, no matter what anyone says."

"I can't lose her, Aria."

"I know," she said softly. "Deca, have the others meet us on the Simudeck."


	21. Out Of Time

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Juzblue:** Yup. And I'm still stalling. :P_

_**Piper xox Leo:** Thanks.There's some more little pieces in this chapter too. :P_

_**Jenny: **Yes, you have to let me write the story. Okay, there's actually three stories. Two are fluffy. Well, fluffy compared to my other stories anyway, and the other comes from AH/AY's sick and twisted mind. I promise, they'll be really, really good, and you'll be happy you didn't kill me. :P Didn't I tell you who was going to die? I could have sworn I did... oh well, you'll see. Andros knows Cathan from the PASTpast. He'll only have one more flashback thingy, and it doesn't have anything to do with Cathan. And you are going to ruin my story with your psychicness. :P _

_**the-power-of-love:** Thanks, here's more._

_**Ghostwriter:** Yup, and it's going to get thicker until I actually get around to the fight scene. :P_

_**DizneeDol:** Here's more. It wasn't all that soon, but whatever. :P_

_**Melissa:** No, the bolded words aren't hints. I just think it looks better that italics. :P_

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** Do you think I'm going to kill Ashley? Do you really think I would kill Ashley and make Andros miserable and lonely for the rest of his life? Actually, it sounds like something I would do, but never mind. You can't give my birthday present to Jenny! It's mine:P_

Chapter 21: Out Of Time

**The Megaship - the bridge**

"Aria, I don't like this." Cathan's voice was soft as it floated from behind the helmet of the Phantom Ranger.

"Don't call me that," Aria warned him, her voice more forceful in Ravenna's body. "And don't waste time complaining. We've got a job to do here."

"Aria," Cathan said, and hesitated. "Ravenna... whoever you are, do you expect to be alive at the end of this?"

"I hope so," Aria replied quietly. "But if the only way I can change things is to die, then I guess I can live with that."

"What happens if Samael doesn't go for you?" Cathan challenged her. "He's not stupid, Aria, he's actually quite intelligent, and I assume he's got some idea of what you're going to try. What do you do if he goes for Andros again?"

Aria sighed. "Samael will go for me. Samael will go for the leader, and you know it as well as I do, or else you wouldn't have made me the leader. You would have left Andros in charge, like the first time, and then we'd have to do this a third time."

"I wasn't trying to get you killed, Aria," Cathan said. "Believe it or not, I'd prefer to have you alive."

"I know," Aria said. "As much as I hate to admit it, you were right, too."

"About what?"

"About why Andros isn't leading us." Aria paused and took a deep breath. "If Samael goes for me, then I want you to-"

"No," Cathan interrupted. "I won't do that, Aria."

"Listen to me, Cathan." Aria's voice was her own again, and Cathan turned to her, half against his will. "You and I, we can live without each other. Not wanting to has nothing to do with it. Andros and Ashley, Zhane and Karone, to be without each other would kill them, and it **did** kill Ashley. When we went back, you saw Andros. You saw his eyes. In seven years, healing never happened for him, never even began. He tried, for Zoe and Wyatt, but he couldn't. We aren't like that, Cathan."

"So you're martyring yourself then?"

"No," Aria said slowly. "I don't want to die, but I don't want to live seeing what's happened if we've failed again."

"What's going on?"

"Oh, hey, Ash," Aria said nervously. Ashley's eyes narrowed as she took in Aria's disguise.

"Aria, you're going to get yourself killed down there."

"Nah," Aria said lightly. "Everyone on Onyx is scared of Phantom and terrified of Ravenna. I don't quite know why; I never actually killed anyone, but they are."

"No one else ever betrayed Darkonda and lived," Ashley pointed out. "What are you two doing?"

"Infiltration, I think," Aria said. "We don't quite know what's going on down there, but it's safe to say that Samael's gathering an army. Those that don't join him die, and then he grows stronger."

"I never thought we would ever be defending Onyx," Cathan mused, more to himself than to Aria and Ashley.

"Neither did I," Aria said dryly.

Ashley looked at them wistfully, and expression that did not escape Aria's attention. "Ash," she said warningly.

"I know," Ashley sighed. She touched her stomach briefly, and sighed again. "I just don't like watching and being unable to help."

"You will be helping by staying here," Cathan told her. "No offense intended, but I doubt that you would be of much use down there."

"I know," Ashley said again. "You guys won't let Andros do anything too stupid, will you?"

A hint of a smile appeared on Aria's face, and she glanced at Cathan before saying, "I think we're the wrong people to ask about that one."

Ashley gave Aria a long look. "You're serious."

"It's a long story," Aria muttered. "And one that you'd be better off hearing from Andros, later, when this is all over."

"Approaching Onyx."

"Thanks, Deca," Aria said. "Ready, Cathan?"

"I am," the Phantom replied. "Deca, teleport two."

Ashley and the bridge vanished from Aria's sight in a swirl of white light, and Aria couldn't keep herself from wondering if it was really possible to keep the people she loved alive, or if it was all a foolish hope.

**Onyx**

They landed side by side outside of Onyx Tavern, now darkened. _That's got to be a first,_ Aria thought wryly as they passed by it. "Got your crystal?"

"Got yours?" Cathan responded, his left arm twitching slightly, the unconscious movement telling Aria that the crystal of pure light was somewhere on his left side.

"I'm not completely suicidal," she responded lightly, as she always did when she was in danger. "The tavern's empty. Not a good sign."

"Where do you think they all are?" Cathan asked in an undertone. "Onyx is never this quiet."

"I think Samael got here first," Aria said grimly. "I think they're all gone."

Cathan said what Aria wouldn't. "But that would make him... invincible."

Aria chose not to respond, and raised her communicator to her mouth. "We're out of time, you guys. Get down here now."


	22. No Turning Back Now

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** Okay, so if I keep my promises, I think that means that I update soon and Ashley lives. I think I broke one promise already, and we'll just see about the other. Not in this chapter though. Like I said, I'm stalling. :P _

_**Juzblue:** The more he kills, the more powerful Samael is, and he just killed everyone on Onyx. Yeah, Cathan's Phantom. :P_

_**Piper xox Leo:** Nope, that's a very bad sign. :P_

_**the-power-of-love:** Thanks, here's more._

_**DizneeDol:** Thanks. Here's some more, but I made you wait for it. :P_

Chapter 22: No Turning Back Now

"Here they come," Aria murmured as five streaks of light appeared in the sky, landing near them. "No turning back now."

"Aria, wait," Cathan said suddenly. She turned to him with a questioning glance, a small noise of surprise escaping her throat as he grabbed her by the shoulders, his lips touching hers. "I love you."

Aria blinked at him, struck speechless for one of the few times in her life. A slow smile spread itself over her face and she laughed. "I figured that when you asked me to marry you... I love you, Cathan."

"Do you still want to?"

"Do I still want to marry you?" Aria paused. She was seventeen now, but she'd been twenty-two when she'd gotten herself engaged. They were both very different people now, but now was neither the time nor the place for this conversation. "If we survive the next hour, we'll talk."

"I'll take that as a yes," Cathan murmured as the other rangers joined them. Aria shrugged at him and grinned.

"Okay," she said, her tone authorative and completely calm. "Fanning out to look for Samael would be suicide. We stick together. He's killed many more times since we've last fought him, and that only makes him stronger. His mind control will have grown stronger as well."

Aria stopped talking abruptly, her eyes flickering anxiously to Cathan, almost pleadingly. He looked away, knowing what he was asking her, and knowing that he would never be able to do as she asked, should he be forced to make a decision.

Aria sighed heavily and looked back to the group.

"Ready?" she asked, her voice soft, but still strong. "White light power up!"

"Red light power up!"

"Blue light power up!"

"Green light power up!"

"Silver light power up!"

"Purple light power up!"

"Light power up!"

Cathan didn't say the color light he weilded, neither wanting to nor needing to. He was the Light itself, after all.

"Let's go," Aria said tersely. "Cathan?"

"Somewhere to the north," the black ranger replied, his crystal sensing their enemy.

"After you," Aria said, temporarily relinquishing command to him. He set off, leading them in a northeastern direction. "He's waiting for us?"

"Yes," Cathan confirmed. "He is."

"And Enni?"

"No sign of her... but then," he reflected, "he doesn't need her anymore."

"Now that's a happy thought," Aria murmured.

Andros listened to them exchange conversation so lightly, wondering how they could be so calm. Ashley wasn't even there, but his stomach was a mess of nerves. If they won this battle, then his wife and children were safe, but if not, then... He swallowed hard. Now was not a good time to break down.

_They were following his lead. He was as disoriented as they were, but couldn't let it show, for fear that everything would fall apart just then. This was not the ideal situation for a showdown, and he knew that as well as anybody, but they had no choice. The Megaship had been shot down, and they had crash landed here on this forgotten rock of a planet. They were all shaken from the impact, but they had to fight._

_"This way," he said. A silent 'I think' went unsaid but not unheard. _

"Andros?"

"Huh?"

He blinked, and found himself a good ten feet behind everyone else. Running to catch up, he tried not to dwell on what he had just seen. Even as he tried to forget, he knew what it was, and he knew that there would be more, and worse, he knew how it would end.

_"What was that about?"_ Aria asked him.

_"Nothing,"_ he lied. He would have given anything to make it nothing, but all he could do was pray that it would stop right there. Aria didn't say anymore, and he wondered how much she knew.

_Even as they skidded to a halt, he could see the dark shadow that stood in front of them. Their enemy stepped forward into the light to meet them, victory already in his eyes. _

He had kept walking this time, he saw, and he bumped into Gabriel as the others halted. Shaking himself to break the chains of memory, Andros took his place with the others, who were waiting for Aria's order.

"There," he heard her hiss to them, jerking her helmeted head to the right. "Ready...attack!"

_"Ready?" he asked, thankful that his voice came out steady. Somehow, he knew that this would not be an easy fight. _

_"Ready," they responded, and as one, they attacked._


	23. Victory's Price

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** Nope, that's not good at all. I couldn't end this with the cliffie I wanted to, either, or else I would have changed my mind, and worked out a different ending. :P_

_**Piper xox Leo:** Yeah, pretty much. Here's more. :P_

Chapter 23: Victory's Price

Andros's first hint that they were in deeper trouble than they had realized came when Aria demorphed. The instant he saw his sister's white suit sparkle and vanish, his heart seemed to jump into his throat, and he became more tense than he was already. In all the time that he'd fought alongside Aria, he had seen her demorph in battle once, maybe twice, at the Countdown battle, and then possibly when they had fought against the Psycho Rangers.

"Aria!" he heard Cathan shout, leaping between Samael and Aria as their leader struggled to her feet.

"I'm all right," she said determinedly, falling into a defensive stance. "I didn't come this far to surrender now."

"There is no surrender," Samael told her. "Not for you."

"Happy to hear that," Aria shot back as she continued fighting. She was weaponless and powerless, but never in her life had Aria been defenseless.

"Karone, look out," Gabriel warned, grabbing the purple ranger by the shoulder as a wave of energy came her way. She stumbled, but was unscathed.

"Thanks," she gasped, as Gabriel steadied her. "Come on."

"Andros," Zhane shouted, seeing his friend fall back. Justin and Aria formed a wall in front of the red ranger as Zhane pulled him back up.

"Come on, you guys," Aria said encouragingly. "We can do this. There's seven of us, and only one of him."

"You've already lost to me, White Ranger."

"Not this time," Aria replied, her tone one of complete calm. "I don't make the same mistake twice."

Justin and Karone were swept aside as Samael advanced towards Aria. She took a step back, her fiery hazel eyes meeting his soulless ones not only defiantly, but fearlessly as well. He raised his sword, and brought it down hard, but too late. Aria had already dodged him, remorphing as she did so.

As soon as Samael's back was turned away from him, Andros leapt at him, landing a solid blow to his shoulder. Samael whirled to strike him hard across the chest as he was attacked from behind again, this time by Aria.

The force of the blow sent Andros sprawling backward. Zhane grabbed him by the arm, and he felt Karone on his other side, hauling him back up to his feet before he could be caught defenseless.

"Ready?" Karone glanced at Andros and Zhane as they raised their weapons simultaneously. "Now!"

The three of them charged at once, distracting Samael as he dealt Justin a hard blow. Gabriel and Aria pulled him out of the way as Cathan moved in on the other side. Attacked from both sides, Samael howled with rage, and stumbled. Justin had recovered enough to attack again, and with Aria and Gabriel flew at him, swords raining down on him.

_"Cathan, this isn't working,"_ Aria told him, though she knew he already knew it. _"He's not getting weaker, he's just waiting for us to be too exhausted to fight."_

_"We have to keep going," _Cathan insisted.

_"Did I say anything about giving up?"_ Aria retorted.

Andros groaned and doubled over, the wind leaving him as he was kicked hard in the stomach. He kneeled over, gasping for air. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Justin hovering near him, but his brother was too distracted to stand guard over him for long.

_He was too powerful, and they couldn't stop him. A part of himself had always known it, known it since the first battle, but he never had allowed himself to believe it, and now he had led them to their deaths. _

_"Ashley," he shouted, seeing his wife stumble, driven back by the force of the blow she'd just taken._

_"I'm okay," she gasped, leaning on his arm as she steadied herself. "Can't give up."_

_"You have lost, Red Ranger," Samael said. _

_Berating himself for being so unaware, he realized that they had become isolated from the rest of the team. He could see Zhane and Aria running towards them, but he knew that they would never make it in time. Shoving Ashley behind him, he braced himself for the blow that he knew he couldn't possibly survive._

"Andros, get up!"

Zhane was shouting at him as Karone struggled to hold off Samael. Andros scrambled to his feet as the vision dimmed, filled with a renewed fury. This monster had killed Ashley.

He flew at Samael, consumed with a rage driven by love. He couldn't allow it to happen again. Samael laughed, knowinginly, and in a split second, all the other rangers had been knocked back by a tremendous force that seemed to radiate from his very being.

"So you think to save her, do you?" he sneered. "The White Ranger has given you false hope, Red Ranger. I will kill her again, and I will take every last bit of joy from your life before I come for you."

_"Andros!" _

_He heard Ashley's scream, and he felt himself stumble, but he wondered why he hadn't felt the blow. He opened his eyes and found himself on the ground. Ashley stood between him and Samael, her body rigid. _

_"Ashley," Andros cried, staggering to his feet, his eyes widening by what he saw. Her hands were clutching at her side, but he could see the hole that had been torn in her suit. He could see the blood, although he would have given anything not to have. _

_WIthout thinking twice, he demorphed, catching Ashley in his arms as she slowly toppled, her yellow suit sparkling cheerfully as it vanished. Her eyes were fixed on his, and she was struggling to speak to him, but no words would come. _

_"Ash, no," he whispered. "Stay awake. Ash, you can't die on me. Please..."_

Andros snapped out of his vision to realize that he was being dealt blow after blow. Slumping over to the ground, he saw the other rangers struggling even to stand. They would never make it in time. He had been lucky so far, but this time, there was no one left to save him.

He couldn't move without feeling terrible pain, but he almost welcomed it, knowing that it meant he was still alive. He had to hang onto life as long as he could, for Ashley, for his children. He couldn't just let them go.

The final blow never came. Andros didn't raise his head, in his heart knowing why. He didn't want to see, but he had to, and slowly, he opened his eyes, his heart nearly stopping.

Fully morphed, Ashley stood between him and Samael, putting up as strong a fight as he had ever seen from her, and for a second, it almost seemed to be working. Then a small hole in her defense caused her to take a hard hit, and she fell. Andros struggled to get to her in time, but found himself nearly paralyzed as she was dealt several more savage blows.

"Ashley!" he heard Aria scream, and saw that his sister was demorphed again, her white crystal clutched in her fist. "Andros!"

"Let me do it," Cathan said, leaping to his feet as he realized what Aria was about to do.

"It's my team," Aria hissed. "My family."

Not taking another step forward, she tightened her grip on the crystal for a moment. Then she threw it. Cathan murmured something under his breath, channeling the light magic, adding his power, and the power of the other rangers to Aria's, and the night seemed to swell with light as the white crystal fell.

Andros didn't see the crystal as it fell in a smooth arc, shattering as it landed hard on the cold stone streets of Onyx. He only saw the faint rising and falling of Ashley's chest, and the sword poised to come down on her yet again. Then he saw the yellow light that streamed from her motionless body, and the red that was surrounding him, blending with the colors green, blue, purple, silver, black, and white.

The blow never came. Instead, Samael staggered back, the light growing brighter as he grew weaker. Andros closed his eyes as it became painful to keep them open, and behind his closed eyelids, he could still see the blinding rays of pure white.

When the light faded, he felt as though he had been completely drained, and the world, now dark and silent once again, began to spin. Distantly, he heard a voice scream, "Aria!" and another shouting Ashley's name, and then his own, but the voices were far away, and growing fainter.


	24. Bonds of Love

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** I didn't say I couldn't end with a ciiffie. I said I couldn't end with the cliffie I wanted to use. Thre's a difference. :P_

_**Juzblue:** Thanks, I did update soon, and I'm really, really, really sorry about this..._

_**Piper xox Leo:** You'll see._

_**DizneeDol:** Don't worry, I updated soon._

_**Jenny:** I wasn't trying to rush it that time. I don't want the story to end! But you'll see. You actually read Demon's story::blinks: but as long as you know that I got the writing genes. :P Too bad it's fanfiction, I know, or else I could make some money here, maybe:P_

Chapter 24: Bonds of Love

Andros opened his eyes slowly, not remembering where, or even who, he was. His eyelids were heavy, and refused to open. He took a deep breath, and heard a raspy sigh escape his lips. He wasn't in pain, exactly, but he was sore all over.

Voices reached his ears, and he felt someone gently lay a hand on his shoulder. "Andros?" It was Karone's voice, and he struggled to sit up, but she firmly pushed him back down, murmuring, "Hold still for a minute."

A few seconds later, he felt his energy returning to him, and opened his eyes, mumbling a weak, "Thanks," as his sister's face came into focus. In answer, he received a strained smile.

"Andros, can you sit up now?" Karone asked him. "Ashley, she..."

The battle came back to him then, and Andros shot up so quickly that Karone made a small noise of alarm. "Where is she?" he demanded, feeling the fear building in his stomach.

"She's right here," Zhane said in a hollow voice, and Andros turned his head, feeling tears spring to his eyes at the sight of her. Ashley looked just as deadly pale as she had in his nightmare memory of the past.

"Ash, please don't die," he whispered, feeling the tears spill over his eyes. "I need you. I love you."

"Karone's magic was able to keep her alive so far," Zhane said. "But it won't last much longer..."

"Aria, damnit, wake up!""

Andros turned to look at the other side of the medical bay. Justin and Gabriel were standing side by side between two patient beds, both staring at Aria's nearly motionless body. Justin was the one who had spoken, and though his tone was angry, his eyes were sad.

Andros swallowed hard, and turned away from his half-dead sister to look at his living one. "Take your magic off of Ashley."

"Andros, she'll die if I do that," Karone protested.

"No, she won't," Andros said, slipping out of the bed to stand by Ashley's side. "Aria told me how to save her."

"Are you sure?" Karone asked him hesitantly.

"No," Andros said, blinking away his tears. "But this is my only chance to save her."

Karone nodded uncertainly, but did as he asked. Andros reached for Ashley's hand. It was cold, and he tried very hard not to think about what would happen if he failed.

_"Ash?"_ he called tentatively, feeling for her in his mind. She was still there, but her presence was very faint, and fading rapidly without Karone's magic preserving her life. _"Ash!"_

Closing his eyes, Andros reached for her, trying to hold her to him, understanding that he was keeping her alive. If Ashley slipped away from him now, if she vanished from his mind, she would be dead, and he would have no choice but to follow her. If she slipped away from him now, he would want nothing but to follow her.

Ashley's rapid careen towards death seemed to slow a little, and Andros tightened the hold he had on her soul, surrounding it completely with his own, refusing to let her go. He felt her grow a little stronger, and kept pulling, his heart beating wildly with hope.

The closer he held her soul to his, the more his mind was filled with her, and soon, Andros was seeing every moment of her life, from her earliest infancy until now, were she wasn't even aware of her own self, somehow knowing that wherever Ashley was now, she was seeing every moment of his. Bombarded with Ashley's memories, Andros saw her as a toddler, he saw her as a child, he saw her as the woman he loved and would do anything to keep alive.

When he felt Ashley's fingers tighten on his, Andros's eyes flew open, only to be dejected when he saw that she was still motionless. He reached for her again, pulling her closer and closer until he was no longer sure whether he was Andros, or whether he was Ashley. Their souls, their minds, their hearts, they fit together perfectly, and were never meant to be apart.

Ashley's eyes fluttered open, and she gazed up at him in wonder. "Andros?" she said weakly. "What..."

Her voice trailed off as Andros sank down onto the stool that someone had placed by his side sometime in the last few mintues, burying his face in her shoulder, sobbing. He felt Ashley place on of her hands gently on his head, and he looked up at her, tears staining his face.

"Ash, I love you so much," he sobbed out, helping her as she struggled to sit up, and cradling her in his arms. "I love you, and if I'd lost you, it would have killed me. It almost did kill me, and I killed you, and I'm so sorry."

"What?" Ashley stared at him, squeezing his hands. "Andros, what happened?"

"I don't know," Andros admitted. "I don't care. All that matters is that you're alive."

"It's okay," Ashley soothed him, tears now streaming down her face as well as his. "Andros, I'm sorry I went down there. I just couldn't watch him kill you."

Andros tightened the hold he had on her, leaving her nearly unable to breathe. "Don't worry about that, Ash. He's gone now, and you're okay. It's all going to be okay."

"Karone," he heard Justin shout. "Do something!"

Ashley fought her way out of Andros's arms long enough to see her best friend lying pale and completely motionless on a bed across the room. "Andros..."

He followed her gaze, and then lifted her in his arms, knowing that she wanted to be at Aria's side, as he did. Carrying her across the room, he set her down carefully, one arm around her waist to support her.

"She wasn't hurt that badly," Gabriel said tonelessly. "Why won't she wake up?"

"Because **he** won't," Karone said softly, nodding past them to where Cathan was lying, even paler than Aria. "He channeled too much power. There was no other way to win, but... I don't think he's going to wake up. He's too far gone to put him into cryogenic sleep, and I can only hold them here for so long."

"So Aria's going to die because of him?" Justin demanded.

"Not because of him," Karone said heavily. "But, yes, I think so. She's bonded to him, whether she realized it or not."

Ashley buried her face in Andros's shoulder, and he realized that he was more acutely aware of her anguish than he had ever been before. He wrapped his arms around her as she sobbed, not bothering to hide his own tears.

This was Aria, the little sister who he had thought dead for eleven years. He had found her, only to lose her again now. It wasn't right, somehow, Aria dying like this, calmly, almost peacefully, in complete contradiction to her nature.

A fresh wave of tears hit him as Andros realized that if Aria had stayed where she was, she wouldn't be on her deathbed now. If she hadn't come back to save them all, she would still have her own life.

Karone gave a soft cry as the soft beep signaling Cathan's heartbeat became a single continuous drone. No one else made a sound, not even daring to move, until Aria's had joined it.


	25. Goodbye

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** Yeah, it's sad. :P_

_**Juzblue:** I know it's sad. Aria was my favorite, too. _: (

_**DizneeDol:** I know. This is soon enough, right?_

_**Piper xox Leo:** Technically, they were engaged. He was just checking to see if they still were. But at least I didn't make them live without each other. _

_**Jenny:** Again, you guessed it ALL! At least there's nothing else left for you to guess. Were you the one who wanted Zhane to cry:P_

Chapter 25: Goodbye

Andros cradled Ashley in his arms as she cried herself to sleep, and then climbed out of bed with painstaking slowness, not wanting to wake her. Drawing the covers back up over her, he crept out of the room, knowing that sleep would never come for him tonight.

Unsurprisingly, he saw Justin wandering around dazedly, the loss of his twin not having sunk in quite yet. Andros tried to say something to his brother, but Justin just stared at him blankly, so he moved on, and found himself talking with Zhane instead.

The silver ranger was sitting on the floor of the engine room. Andros saw tears glistening in his eyes, and realized that he had never seen his friend cry before now. He dropped to the floor beside him, laying a hand on his arm for a second.

"How are you?" Zhane asked hoarsely, wiping his eyes. "How's Ashley?"

"Sleeping," Andros said, sighing. "She's the lucky one. I just keep thinking... Aria would still be alive if..."

"This wasn't your fault," Zhane said, and Andros realized that he hadn't told anyone what Aria had done. He couldn't tell Ashley, not anymore, or she'd blame herself for the rest of her life. Andros swallowed and found himself telling Zhane the whole story, leaving out only the part where he had found Zhane and Karone's children. When he was done, Zhane stared at him, mumbling, "Wow."

"You and Aria were pretty close, weren't you?" Andros said suddenly, rubbing his tired eyes with the heel of his palm. There was something he had to know, and Zhane might be the only person with the answer.

"Yeah," Zhane admitted. "She was the first person like me I ever met, except she was crazier, and most of the stuff she did wasn't just for the hell of it."

"Do you think she came back knowing that she was going to die?"

"I think she knew there was a huge possibility of death," Zhane said after a very long pause. "And I don't think that it would have made any difference to either of them. But no, I don't think Aria came back intending to die. She just did what I would have done, or what any of us would have done."

"Thanks," Andros said, breathing a little more easily. He wasn't sure he believed Zhane, but for some reason, hearing from someone that Aria hadn't planned her death made it hurt a little less.

"We owe her," Zhane said suddenly. "Not just this, I mean before, the old team."

"I know," Andros said softly. "I owe her Ashley twice now."

"Twice?"

"Yeah." Andros nodded and sighed sadly. "She just kept pushing me towards her until something finally happened."

Zhane laughed, the sound strangely not out of place. "I always wondered how that happened."

Andros's faint smile faded as he said, "And now this..."

"You can't possibly blame yourself for this," Zhane said increduously. "Aria did what Aria wanted. Always."

"But she died for us, Zhane," Andros said. "So that we could live."

"And someday we'll be able to accept that," Zhane said. "Until then..."

His voice trailed off and the two sat side by side in silence for a long time. Then Andros took a deep breath, and climbed slowly to his feet.

"Hey, are you sure you want to do that?" Zhane asked, scrambling up when he saw where his friend was headed. "You don't have to, you know."

"I think I do," Andros answered quietly, punching in the access code for the cryogenic healing chamber where Zhane had lain for two years. Aria was here now, and Cathan too, their bodies kept cold until they could be buried back on Earth.

"She doesn't look dead," Zhane mused, coming in behind him. "She looks like she's asleep."

Andros nodded. Aria looked as if she was simply taking a nap, not gone forever, but then again she didn't. Aria would never have slept on her back with her hands clasped over her stomach. Aria would have slept sprawled over on her side, one arm buried under her pillow, and the other arm ready to tug the blanket up over her face should the lights suddenly turn on when she wasn't ready to get up. The position looked more natural for Cathan, the somber Phantom who had, in the end, killed his sister.

Zhane seemed to know what he was thinking, and clapped him on the shoulder. "He was worth it to her."

"I know," Andros whispered. "But she was so strong, it doesn't seem right..."

"But what about this does?" Zhane countered. He yawned. "I might as well try to sleep. Night, man."

"Night," Andros echoed. He placed on hand over his sister's heart, whispering, "Goodbye, Aria."

He turned to go, resisting the impulse to keep talking. It was stupid, really, Aria was long gone, and what was left of her was a shell. Andros walked slowly down to his and Ashley's room, where she was still asleep. Deca had assured him that she would be fine, as long as she was kept calm for the remainder of her pregnancy.

Ashley stirred as he crawled back into bed. "Where did you go?"

"To say goodbye," Andros whispered, pulling her into his arms as tears welled up in her eyes again.

"She didn't change the past to die," Ashley said softly. Andros pulled back to look at her in wonder as she continued. "She just wouldn't live without him."

"How did you know about that?"

"When I was... dying, I guess, I felt you bringing me back," Ashley explained. "I saw you, and I knew everything that you'd ever done. Most of it faded right when I opened my eyes, but I remember that part."

"I love you, Ash," Andros whispered, tears springing to his eyes. "I let you die, and -"

"Shh," Ashley whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"I love you," Andros whispered again, silently thanking his sister. "I love you, and I love Zoe and Wyatt, and I'm so sorry."

"It's all right," Ashley said, her face wet with tears. "I know you do. You didn't kill me, and you didn't kill Aria. Aria didn't mean to die. She would have, so that we all could live, and she did in the end, but she died for love."

"I needed to hear that," Andros said a moment later, kissing the side of her head. "Thank you. Are you going to be all right?"

Ashley nodded shakily, and dried her eyes with the hem of the sheet. "Aria was my best friend, and I hate to have to say goodbye to her, but I'll be fine, eventually."

Andros nodded, and lay down beside her. Sleep came to him before Ashley, and she lay awake, her hands resting on her stomach, and the children inside, wondering just how she was supposed to say goodbye to the one person that she knew she owed her life and everything in it a hundred times over.


	26. Epilogue

Disclaimer: Not mine

_**Juzblue:** Well, this is kinda the epilogue, so I guess that was the last chapter._

_**Ashley Hammond/Astro Yellow:** A funeral in my backyard? For some strange reason, I'm starting to like that idea. Wow, I really am twisted. :P_

_**Piper xox Leo:** Thanks, here's the end._

_**Jenny:** Yay, you wrote something long again. And you predicted the entire story pretty much. AAAAAHHHH. Oh well, the next thing I put up here will be happy and predictable. I hope. Then I can get back to dark and depressing. :P_

_**the-power-of-love:** Thanks, here's the last part. :P_

Epilogue

Ashley moaned as another contraction hit her, doubling up in pain. Andros squeezed her hands comfortingly, and she leaned back against his arm a moment later.

"You're doing great, Ash," he said, leaning her head against his. "Just a little while longer."

Ashley nodded her head. "You're not going to want any more kids, right?"

Andros laughed, and kissed the side of her head. "I think four kids is plenty... but we can talk once Zoe and Wyatt are in college."

Ashley smiled. "Where are Zoe and Wyatt, anyway?"

"In the waiting room," Andros reminded her. "With Zhane and Karone."

"You left them with Zhane?"

"I didn't exactly have much choice," Andros protested. "Don't worry, Karone's in charge of all three of them."

Ashley's reply was cut off as she had another contraction. She leaned forward, whimpering in pain.

"I love you, Ash," Andros whispered in her ear as she leaned back against his arm again. "You can scream if you want to, you know."

"It doesn't hurt that bad yet," Ashley said. "Where did the doctor go?"

"He said you weren't ready to push yet, remember?" Andros said, letting go of her right hand to rub her shoulder. "He said he'd be back in a couple of minutes."

"Oh," Ashley said. She didn't remember. "Do you think the babies will look like you this time?"

"If they do, they'd better have your eyes," Andros said.

"But I like your eyes," Ashley told him. "Zoe and Wyatt look cute with your eyes."

Andros was saved from having to reply when the doctor entered the room again. A moment later, he announced, "Okay, you're ready to push now."

Ashley's grip on Andros's hand became painful as she struggled to deliver the first of the twins. "It's all right, Ash," he said in her ear. "Almost there."

Ashley nodded, and screamed softly. Andros felt her body relax slightly, and he looked at the doctor, who told them, "You have a healthy, beautiful baby girl."

Ashley smiled, tears of happiness forming in her eyes. Andros squeezed her hand, whispering, "I love you, Ash."

"I love you," Ashley whispered back. Then she remembered that there was another baby, and groaned. Andros laughed softly.

"She's got a brother or sister on the way," the doctor said as he handed the baby to the nurse to be cleaned. Ashley moaned, but the second baby came more quickly than his sister had. The baby boy was taken away to be washed off while Ashley was moved to a different room.

Five minutes later, Andros was holding his son as Ashley cradled her daughter. These twins had Ashley's sparkling brown eyes, and Ashley was insisting that they had Andros's hair.

"Ash, they don't have hair," he tried to say, but was cut off by her glare.

"They do too," she said, pointing to the fuzz on the baby girl's head. "See? That's blond. And the rest is brown."

Andros nodded his agreement simply to keep her from killing him, and Ashley laughed. He smiled sheepishly at her. "Can I let everyone else in here now?"

Ashley nodded, and reached out to take the baby boy from Andros's arms as he went to inform their family and friends that everything had gone fine, and they now had two more beautiful children.

"What's her name?" Justin asked, although he already knew. There was only one name that seemed right to choose.

"Aria," Ashley said, handing him his niece. Justin gave her a sad smile, and glanced at his mother. Issia smiled as well, and reached out to touch baby Aria's hand.

"So this one's Cathan?" Gabriel said, looking down at the boy in Karone's arms.

"Yeah," Andros said, nodding as he stepped back to Ashley's side. He lifted Zoe up onto the bed beside her. Ashley wrapped her arms around her first daughter, smiling as she watched her newborn daughter passed around carefully from family member to family member.

"Here, Wyatt," Zhane said, lifting the boy up to look over Karone's shoulder. "Say hi to your baby sister."

"Hi," Wyatt said obediatly, poking curiously at the baby his aunt was holding. Zhane laughed and returned him to the floor before he could miss baby Aria's cheek and put out one of her eyes.

Ashley was exhausted, and Andros quickly kicked out their friends and family members. Ashley gave him a grateful smile, and moved over, giving him room to join her on the bed. He sat down beside her, one arm around her shoulders and the other arm cradling Cathan as he watched her nurse Aria. When both the twins had been fed, they sat there silently for a long time, memorizing every detail of their children's faces.

Ashley leaned against him sleepily after a nurse had come to take the twins to the nursery. Andros wrapped both his arms around her, amazed at how much he loved her. Ever since he had brought her back from near death, he felt closer to her than ever before, and if it was possible, he loved her even more.

"Get some rest, Ash," he murmured into her ear, easing her back onto the pillows. "I'll be back soon."

"Where are you going?" Ashley asked him, her eyes already half-closed. "You can't leave me here. I just gave birth to your children."

Andros laughed, placing a gentle kiss on her lips. "I'll be right back, I promise. I just want to say goodbye to Zoe and Wyatt before Zhane and Karone take them home."

Ashley mumbled something he couldn't understand. Kissing her again, Andros covered her with the thin blankets, and left the room as quietly as he could. Zoe and Wyatt were dozing in Zhane and Karone's arms, so he kissed them goodnight, and let them go home with Zhane and Karone.

On his way back to Ashley's room, he stopped at the hospital gift shop to buy two overpriced teddy bears that he knew Ashley would think were adorable. Ashley opened her eyes slightly when he sat down beside her again, but was soon fast asleep. Andros watched her with a smile on his face. Tomorrow, he could take her and their children home to live the rest of their lives.

_A/N:Yay, it's over. :P I've got a few stories that I can put up here soon, and you guys can vote on which one you want first. So vote, and I'll start writing it, but I want to concentrate on Mirror, Mirror for awhile. Anyway, Option 1 is something happy, fluffy, and someone besides Jenny should be able to figure out what happens at the end. You know, something with a wedding and lots and lots of babies. Option 2 has some similarities to this story. I do random stuff to time and space just because I feel like it, and then there's some evil people, and a few battles, but I don't think I kill anyone who's not evil. Tell me what to write next. :P _


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